Scenario with repetition in one of the poorest countries in the world: the army took over the power, the president fugitive

The scenario is repeated in Madagascar: the army announced that “takes power” and put an end to the challenged president Andry Rajoelina, who had reached power for the first time following a coup in 2009, in similar circumstances, AFP reports.

The military unit that joined the generalized protests of this very poor island in the Indian Ocean made the announcement in front of the presidential palace in the center of Antananarivo, immediately after the vote of the National Assembly of the head of state, which fled the country.

The president fled, the army dissolved the Senate and the Constitutional Court

“We will take over the power starting today and will dissolve the Senate and the Constitutional Court. The National Assembly will continue to work,” said Colonel Michael Randrianirina for AFPTV in front of the Presidential Palace, in the center of the Malgașe capital.

The announcement was followed by holiday scenes and concerts in May 13. Malgașe flags and holiday songs covered this symbolic place, baptized in the memory of people killed during a popular revolt of 1972, which led to the dismissal of the first president.

The High Constitutional Court found the “vacation” of the position of president and “invited” by a statement “the competent military authority, represented by Colonel Randrianirina Michael, to exercise the heads of the state”.

Challenged in the street as he was hiding in a secret place, Andry Rajoelina, who on Tuesday morning had dissolved the legislature, denounced the vote of dismissal as a “meeting (…) devoid of any legal basis”, then accused an “attempt to blow” the army, adding that the “president stays.”

Remove from the country with a French military aircraft on Sunday, according to the French radio station RFI, Andry Rajoelina had been appointed transition president by the army after a popular revolt in 2009.

After retiring in 2014, he was elected president in 2018, then re -elected in 2023 for a five -year term, in an opposition boycotted poll.

The armed and order forces passed the side of Colonel Randrianirina

“We will set up a committee made up of army, gendarmerie and national police officers. Maybe there will be high -ranking civilian counselors in this committee. This committee will ensure the functioning of the presidency. At the same time, after a few days, we will set up a civil government,” of Randrianirina insurance.

The constitution is also suspended, the colonel, the capita commander announced. This military unit, which played a major role in the 2009 coup, overturned the report of forces joining on Saturday on the protests that started on September 25th.

His officers appealed the security forces to “refuse to shoot” on the protesters, before joining them in the center of the capital.

Most of the armed forces followed the example and changed the command, including the gendarmerie, which was previously in the first line of the protest repression. At least 22 people were killed at the beginning of them and over one hundred were injured, according to a United Nations balance sheet.

The protests were triggered by gender z

As has often happened from September 25, thousands of protesters have come out on the streets of Antananarivo. The young people were mobilized by the GEN Z group, to which officials called for several unions and protesters of all ages joined.

The young Jouannah Rasoarimanana, 24 years old, enjoyed the “victory” of the educated young people from Madagascar, who lit the spark of protests. “I am very happy, as a young woman, here, in Madagascar, we are free now. We have won the victory,” she said

Madagascar, an island with a very poor population, has a long history of popular riots followed by the establishment of military transitional governments. At least 80% of the 32 million inhabitants of Madagascar live with less than 15,000 arts per day (2.80 euros), the poverty line set by the World Bank.

“We are trying to see exactly what will happen once things will calm down. Obviously, if a coup is in progress, we will oppose,” Farhan Haq, the spokesman of the UN Secretary General.

The Fugar president said on Tuesday that he will make “several official visits planned in friendly countries, members of SADC”, the Cooperation Organization in South Africa.