OPPOSITION leaders in the world’s first black republic have called for a nationwide push to paralyse Haiti’s economy in order to press right-wing President Jovenel Moise to resign.

People queued up under a brutal sun all day on Sunday to get water, petrol and other basic supplies before the next round of protests, which many feared would turn more violent than Friday’s huge demonstration, in which several homes and businesses were burnt and police fired tear gas at protesters.

Protesters say they are angry at public corruption, spiralling inflation and a dwindling supply of fuel that has forced many petrol stations in the capital Port-au-Prince to close as suppliers demand payment of more than $100 million (£81.3m) owed to them by the cash-strapped government.

The opposition is also demanding a deeper probe into allegations that top officials in the Moise government misused billions of dollars in proceeds from a Venezuela-subsidised oil scheme meant for urgent social programmes.

Mr Moise, who took office in 2017 after an election rerun, has said he will not step down despite the unrest and instead called for calm, unity and dialogue during a late-night TV address last week. It was a rare appearance for the president since the new wave of protests began about three weeks ago.

Opposition leaders demanding Mr Moise’s resignation say they envisage the formation of a transitional government after the head of Haiti’s Supreme Court takes over, as dictated by law if a president resigns.

At a news conference on Sunday, opposition leaders urged the dozens of supporters gathered round them to start blocking streets and help them look for the president, whom they claim has gone into hiding.