Haitians seek water, food as businesses reopen after protest

Demonstrators drag the body of a fellow protester toward police, as a form of protest after police shot into the crowd in which he died, during a demonstration demanding the resignation of Haitian President Jovenel Moise near the presidential palace in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019. Protesters are angry about skyrocketing inflation and the government's failure to prosecute embezzlement from a multi-billion Venezuelan program that sent discounted oil to Haiti. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Businesses and government offices are slowly reopening in Haiti after more than a week of violent demonstrations.

People began lining up to buy food, water and gas and public transportation resumed on Monday in the capital of Port-au-Prince. Crews were clearing barricaded streets where tens of thousands of Haitians had protested to demand the resignation of President Jovenel Moise amid anger over rising prices and and allegations of government corruption.

Moise has refused to step down, though his Prime Minister Jean-Henry Ceant said over the weekend some government budgets would be cut by 30 percent, and he vowed to investigate alleged misspending tied to a Venezuelan program that provided Haiti with subsidized oil.

However, schools remained closed on Monday amid concerns of more violence.