The President of Madagascar is hiding in a “safe place” and warns of a coup attempt

Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina said he lives in a “safe place” after being the subject of an assassination attempt, after weeks of protests calling for him to resign.

In a live broadcast to the nation on Facebook, Rajoelina, 51, said, “A group of military men and politicians planned to assassinate me.”

His whereabouts were not revealed, but earlier unconfirmed reports indicated that he fled the country on board a French military plane.

This comes after two weeks of protests across the country, led mainly by young demonstrators, aimed at expelling him from power.

Rajoelina’s failed attempts to pacify young protesters – dubbed “Gen Z Mada” – led the president to dismiss his entire cabinet and make… Other concessions But to no avail.

He has not been seen since Wednesday, and over the weekend Rajoelina’s office said an attempt was underway to force him from power.

His address to the nation was postponed several times Monday amid the chaos, with soldiers threatening to seize the state television headquarters on the Indian Ocean island.

Ultimately, he said in a Facebook broadcast: “Since September 25, there have been attempts to assassinate me and coup attempts. A group of military personnel and politicians planned to assassinate me.”

“I had to look for a safe place to protect my life.”

He added, “There is only one way to resolve these issues, which is to respect the constitution in force in the country.”

Over the weekend, CAPSAT, a powerful military unit that helped bring Rajoelina to power in 2009, moved to undermine Rajoelina by declaring itself head of all armed forces, while some of its officers joined protesters in the streets of the capital, Antananarivo.

After a meeting of military commanders on Monday, the new Chief of Staff of the Army appointed by KAPSAT, General Demosthin Pecholas, assured the public that security forces were working together to maintain order in the island nation.

By Monday evening, the general was at state television headquarters trying to resolve the crisis, according to a statement issued by the presidency.

A senior leader in Madagascar’s largest opposition party, Tim, told the BBC that Madagascar is now effectively run by an army unit.

TIM also said it intends to file impeachment proceedings against Rajoelina on charges of “abandonment of office.”

Many members of Rajoelina’s inner circle fled to nearby Mauritius. They include former Prime Minister President Richard Ravalomanana and businessman Maminyana Ravatumanga.

Despite its abundant natural resources, Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world. The World Bank says about 75% of the population there lives below the poverty line, while International Monetary Fund data show that just over a third of the population has access to electricity.

The protests began out of anger over frequent water and electricity outages, then escalated to reflect broader dissatisfaction with Rajoelina’s government due to high rates of unemployment, corruption, and the cost of living crisis.

At least 22 people were killed and more than 100 injured in the first few days of the protests, according to the United Nations, although the government has rejected those numbers.

Eyewitnesses say that security personnel opened fire on the demonstrators with live ammunition. In one case, A newborn baby died Due to smoke inhalation after being exposed to tear gas.

Madagascar has seen multiple uprisings since gaining independence in 1960, including mass protests in 2009 that forced then-President Marc Ravalomanana to step down and saw Rajoelina rise to office.

Rajoelina, who was just 34 at the time, became Africa’s youngest leader — ruling for four years, then returning to power again after the 2018 elections.

Rajoelina was born into a wealthy family, and before entering politics, he made a name for himself as a businessman and DJ, setting up a radio station and advertising company along the way.

But his baby-faced appeal quickly waned as allegations of nepotism and entrenched corruption became entrenched.