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| Madagascar president says he fled country in fear for his life | Madagascar president says he fled country in fear for his life |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Andry Rajoelina does not announce resignation in speech broadcast on social media after military rebellion | Andry Rajoelina does not announce resignation in speech broadcast on social media after military rebellion |
| Madagascar’s president, Andry Rajoelina, said he had fled the country in fear for his life after a military rebellion but did not announce his resignation in a speech broadcast on social media late on Monday from an undisclosed location. | Madagascar’s president, Andry Rajoelina, said he had fled the country in fear for his life after a military rebellion but did not announce his resignation in a speech broadcast on social media late on Monday from an undisclosed location. |
| The 51-year-old has faced weeks of gen Z-led anti-government protests, which reached a pivotal point on Saturday when an elite military unit joined the protests and called for the president and other ministers to step down. That prompted Rajoelina to say that an illegal attempt to seize power was under way in the Indian Ocean island and to leave the country. | |
| “I was forced to find a safe place to protect my life,” Rajoelina said in his late-night speech, which was also meant to be shown on Madagascar television but was delayed for hours after soldiers attempted to take control of the state broadcaster buildings, according to the president’s office. | “I was forced to find a safe place to protect my life,” Rajoelina said in his late-night speech, which was also meant to be shown on Madagascar television but was delayed for hours after soldiers attempted to take control of the state broadcaster buildings, according to the president’s office. |
| The speech was ultimately broadcast on the presidency’s official Facebook page but not on national TV. | The speech was ultimately broadcast on the presidency’s official Facebook page but not on national TV. |
| They were Rajoelina’s first public comments since the Capsat military unit turned against his government in an apparent coup and joined thousands of protesters rallying in a main square in the capital, Antananarivo, over the weekend. | They were Rajoelina’s first public comments since the Capsat military unit turned against his government in an apparent coup and joined thousands of protesters rallying in a main square in the capital, Antananarivo, over the weekend. |
| Rajoelina called for dialogue “to find a way out of this situation” and said the constitution should be respected. He did not say how he had left Madagascar or where he was, but a report claimed he had been flown out of the country on a French military plane. A French foreign ministry spokesperson declined to comment on that report. | |
| Rajoelina was first president from 2009 to 2014 before returning to power in 2023. He was increasingly isolated after losing the support of a key army unit that joined thousands of youths activists known as “Gen Z Madagascar” to protest against corruption and poverty. The movement had earlier turned down an invitation to meet him for dialogue and demanded his resignation. | Rajoelina was first president from 2009 to 2014 before returning to power in 2023. He was increasingly isolated after losing the support of a key army unit that joined thousands of youths activists known as “Gen Z Madagascar” to protest against corruption and poverty. The movement had earlier turned down an invitation to meet him for dialogue and demanded his resignation. |
| People flooded a square in front of the Antananarivo city hall on Monday, waving flags and chanting slogans, some hanging off military vehicles as they arrived, according to Agence France-Presse reporters. | People flooded a square in front of the Antananarivo city hall on Monday, waving flags and chanting slogans, some hanging off military vehicles as they arrived, according to Agence France-Presse reporters. |
| Among the demonstrators were soldiers from the elite Capsat unit, which played a major role in the 2009 coup during Rajoelina’s rise to the presidency after mass protests forced his predecessor Marc Ravalomanana out of power. | Among the demonstrators were soldiers from the elite Capsat unit, which played a major role in the 2009 coup during Rajoelina’s rise to the presidency after mass protests forced his predecessor Marc Ravalomanana out of power. |
| Also present were gendarmerie officers, accused of using heavy-handed tactics during the near-daily protests over more than two weeks. They admitted in a video statement to “faults and excesses” in their response. | Also present were gendarmerie officers, accused of using heavy-handed tactics during the near-daily protests over more than two weeks. They admitted in a video statement to “faults and excesses” in their response. |
| At least 22 people were killed in the first days by security forces and others in violence sparked by criminal gangs and looters, according to the UN. But Rajoelina had disputed the toll, saying last week there were “12 confirmed deaths and all of these individuals were looters and vandals”. | At least 22 people were killed in the first days by security forces and others in violence sparked by criminal gangs and looters, according to the UN. But Rajoelina had disputed the toll, saying last week there were “12 confirmed deaths and all of these individuals were looters and vandals”. |
| On Saturday, some Capsat soldiers posted a video to social media saying: “Let us join forces, military, gendarmes and police, and refuse to be paid to shoot our friends, our brothers and our sisters.” | On Saturday, some Capsat soldiers posted a video to social media saying: “Let us join forces, military, gendarmes and police, and refuse to be paid to shoot our friends, our brothers and our sisters.” |
| “Close the gates, and await our instructions,” they added. “Do not obey orders from your superiors. Point your weapons at those who order you to fire on your comrades in arms because they will not take care of our families if we die.” | “Close the gates, and await our instructions,” they added. “Do not obey orders from your superiors. Point your weapons at those who order you to fire on your comrades in arms because they will not take care of our families if we die.” |
| The showdown began after the arrest of two politicians on 19 September accused of planning a protest against the country’s chronic power and water outages. | |
| Associated Press contributed to this report | Associated Press contributed to this report |