Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina was due to deliver a national address on Monday evening, following an apparent coup attempt by an elite military unit that has publicly called for his resignation.
The presidential office confirmed the speech would be broadcast at 7 p.m. local time (1600 GMT) on state television and radio. However, uncertainty surrounds Rajoelina’s whereabouts, with no confirmation he remains in the Indian Ocean nation amid reports he may have fled after weeks of deadly anti-government protests.
The crisis escalated significantly on Saturday when soldiers from the elite CAPSAT unit joined demonstrators in the capital, Antananarivo, openly demanding the departure of President Rajoelina and several government ministers.
This unit previously played a key role in bringing Rajoelina to power as a transitional leader during a military-backed coup in 2009. CAPSAT has since asserted that it has taken charge of all armed forces across Madagascar.
Rajoelina’s office said Sunday that “an attempt to seize power illegally and by force” was underway in the nation of 31 million off the east coast of Africa. Rajoelina’s current whereabouts are unknown and a spokesperson for the president didn’t respond to phone calls and messages.
A military source told Reuters that Rajoelina flew out of the country on a French military aircraft on Sunday.
Responding to the reports, the French Foreign Ministry referred The Associated Press to a statement from the French Embassy that said “no French military intervention is underway or planned in Madagascar, whose sovereignty and territorial integrity France fully respects.”
Madagascar is a former French colony, while Rajoelina reportedly has French citizenship, which has previously been a source of discontent among Madagascans.
Rajoelina hasn’t identified who was behind the attempted coup, but the CAPSAT military unit appeared to be in a position of authority and on Sunday appointed a general as the new head of Madagascar’s armed forces, which was accepted by the minister of defense.
A commander of CAPSAT, Col. Michael Randrianirina, said that his soldiers had exchanged gunfire with security forces who were attempting to quell weekend protests, and one of his soldiers was killed. But there was no major fighting on the streets, and soldiers riding on armoured vehicles and waving Madagascar flags were cheered by people in Antananarivo.
Randrianirina said that the army had “responded to the people’s calls,” but denied there was a coup. Speaking at the country’s military headquarters on Sunday, he told reporters that it was up to the Madagascan people to decide what happens next, and if Rajoelina leaves power and a new election is held.
The U.S. Embassy in Madagascar advised American citizens to shelter in place because of a “highly volatile and unpredictable” situation. The African Union urged all parties, “both civilian and military, to exercise calm and restraint.”
Madagascar has been shaken by three weeks of the most significant unrest in years. The protests, which erupted on Sept. 25 over water and electricity outages, were led by a group calling itself “Gen Z Madagascar.” The United Nations says the demonstrations left at least 22 people dead and dozens injured. The government has disputed this number.
The demonstrations snowballed into larger dissatisfaction with the government and the leadership of Rajoelina. Protesters have brought up a range of issues, including poverty and the cost of living, access to tertiary education, and alleged corruption and embezzlement of public funds by government officials as well as their families and associates.
