President Andry Rajoelina of Madagascar announced Monday that he is now in hiding, citing threats to his life. This comes after weeks of intense and often violent public outcry against his government, fueled by allegations of corruption and a failure to uplift the nation’s living standards.
Despite mounting pressure from both citizens and even a segment of the security forces to step down, Rajoelina remains defiant. He asserts that his continued leadership is essential to rescue the impoverished island nation, a declaration that risks further escalating tensions with the thousands of protesters filling the streets.
When the 51-year-old president hinted at an evening address on Monday, thousands poured into the capital, Antananarivo, expecting his resignation. Instead, Madagascar, a mineral-rich nation of 32 million now engulfed in turmoil, faces an unpredictable future.
Dissident military leaders have deliberately avoided an overt power grab, wary of triggering international condemnation and further isolating Madagascar, a nation heavily dependent on foreign aid.
The next steps for these breakaway security forces remain uncertain.
Rumors abound that Mr. Rajoelina has fled the country, though he has kept his location secret. His precarious position worsened recently when segments of the security forces, initially deployed to quell the unrest with violence, sided with the youth-led demonstrators, refusing to obey their commanders.
His Monday address was postponed for hours after a faction of the military attempted to seize the state television station designated to air his message, as reported in a post on the presidency’s social media.
Throughout the day, thousands converged on May 13 Square, a prominent protest hub outside City Hall, where a lively atmosphere prevailed with vendors selling food and treats.
The crowd, waving Malagasy flags, chanted anti-Rajoelina slogans, including a raw, expletive-laden call for his resignation. A large banner prominently displayed the anime skull and bones image, a now-global emblem of youth-led protests.
Leaders from student organizations, labor unions, and other activist groups energized the assembly. A somber silence fell over the square as the coffin of a protester, tragically killed by gunfire on Saturday, was paraded past on a van, with onlookers raising their hands in solemn respect.
“I’m happy and confident of a better future in Madagascar,” declared Fenosoa Hanitriniaina, a 29-year-old law student, echoing the widespread hope for the president’s imminent removal.
Following Sunday’s defections among security forces, Ruphin Fortunat Zafisambo, a former army general recently appointed prime minister by Mr. Rajoelina, announced his intention to engage in dialogue with them.
“I am a soldier first and foremost,” he communicated in a message. “My most important and urgent task is to have frank discussions with my brothers in arms. We share a deep love for our country, and I remain confident in that shared bond.”
The protests in Madagascar, ignited over two weeks ago by public anger concerning unreliable electricity and water services, have since broadened to encompass deep-seated frustrations with corruption and the country’s struggling economy.
According to the World Bank, most Malagasy citizens endure poverty, with agricultural output—a vital sector—repeatedly jeopardized by severe droughts and destructive cyclone floods in recent years.
A significant number of demonstrators express a complete loss of faith in Mr. Rajoelina’s capacity to resolve the nation’s profound challenges.
Currently serving his third term, Mr. Rajoelina first ascended to power through a 2009 coup. After losing the 2013 election, he reclaimed the presidency in 2018 and was re-elected in 2023, a victory his adversaries claim was illegitimate.
Ironically, despite his own history of seizing power, Mr. Rajoelina has recently cautioned against further coups, arguing they would only deepen the country’s instability.
Earlier this month, he fired his entire cabinet, a move he presented as a concession to the protests. However, this only intensified the demands for his resignation.
During the recent unrest, Madagascar’s security forces employed tear gas and rubber bullets against demonstrators. While the United Nations reported nearly two dozen fatalities, the government has challenged this count.