President of Madagascar confirms escape: I felt unsafe

RKS NEWS
RKS NEWS 2 Min Read
2 Min Read

Madagascar’s President, Andry Rajoelina, has confirmed for the first time that he left the country for security reasons, but emphasized that he has not resigned from office. In a live televised speech on Monday evening from an undisclosed location, he stated:

“I was forced to find a safe place to protect my life.”

The statement came after several hours of delay due to attempts by military forces to take control of the public television station. Rajoelina accused an elite army unit of attempting a coup.

Tensions in the country have risen sharply in recent weeks, with massive protests led mainly by young people from the “Generation Z” movement, who are demanding the resignation of the president and several ministers. The situation escalated on Saturday when part of the military openly joined the protesters.

The president called for a national dialogue to resolve the crisis peacefully and urged that the country’s Constitution be respected. He did not reveal his current location, but local sources suggest he may have been evacuated on a French military aircraft.

Meanwhile, Madagascar’s political future remains uncertain, as the country faces an unprecedented situation in which parts of the security forces are openly challenging presidential authority.