Dhaka, October 14— In a late-night speech streamed on social media Monday, Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina said he fled the country because he was afraid for his life after a military coup. He did not, however, say he was resigning.
The president’s message was his first public appearance since the uprising began. It came after weeks of protests against the government led by Gen Z that got much worse on Saturday when the elite military unit CAPSAT joined the protests and called for Rajoelina and his ministers to step down.
Rajoelina said in the address, which was delayed for hours as military allegedly tried to take over state television buildings, “I had to find a safe place to protect my life.” The official Facebook page of the presidency eventually posted the message.
Rajoelina termed the events “an illegal attempt to seize power” and said that everyone should obey the constitution. He also called for dialogue “to find a way out of this situation.” He didn’t say how or where he left Madagascar, but sources say he was flown out on a French military plane. France has not acknowledged this.
The protests started on September 25 because of severe shortages of water and electricity. They have since expanded into a larger movement that accuses Rajoelina’s government of corruption, poor management, and repression.
The turmoil is the worst in the Indian Ocean island nation of 31 million people since Rajoelina first came to power in 2009 after a military-backed coup led by the same CAPSAT unit that is now against him.
Military says it is in charge
Colonel Michael Randrianirina, a commander in the CAPSAT, said that the unit had “responded to the people’s calls” and now ran all parts of the military. He said he didn’t plan a coup and that “it’s up to the people of Madagascar to decide what happens next.”
Reports say that the defense minister agreed to let CAPSAT’s new appointee manage the military. Randrianirina said that CAPSAT troops had shot at loyalist troops during weekend conflicts that left one soldier dead, but there was no large-scale violence. People in the capital, Antananarivo, cheered as soldiers rode in armored vehicles.
More and more people around the world are worried
The US Embassy in Antananarivo told Americans to stay inside because the situation was “highly volatile and unpredictable.” The African Union also asked people to stay calm and not act out.
The protests have killed at least 22 people and hurt dozens more, according to the United Nations. They also criticized the government for their “violent response” to what were initially peaceful protests. The administration disagrees with the UN’s numbers.
The leaders of the movement, who are largely young people who call themselves “Gen Z Madagascar,” say that their main problems are poverty, growing living costs, lack of access to education, and corruption. Their campaign was inspired by large protests in Nepal and Sri Lanka that brought down administrations in the past few years.
Curfews are still in place at night in Antananarivo and the northern port city of Antsiranana.
A cycle of politics that happens again and again
Madagascar was a French colony until it became independent in 1960. Since then, the country has gone through many political crises. Rajoelina, who is 51 years old, first came to power in the 2009 coup that got rid of President Marc Ravalomanana. In 2018, he won the presidency, and in 2023, the opposition boycotted the poll and he won again.
Adding to the chaos, reports say that Madagascar’s previous prime minister and one of Rajoelina’s key advisers fled to Mauritius early on Sunday. The Mauritian authorities verified their presence, but they were unhappy that the private plane had landed on their ground without permission first.
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