Madagascar’s president flees after soldiers turned against him, opposition lawmaker says

By SARAH TETAUD and GERALD IMRAY ANTANANARIVO Madagascar AP Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina left the country after an elite military unit turned against the regime in an apparent coup that followed weeks of youth-led protests an opposition lawmaker in the Indian Ocean country explained Monday Related Articles Venezuela says US navy raided a tuna boat in the Caribbean as tensions rise It s hard to see so a large number of kids die How volunteering in Gaza transformed American doctors and nurses Death toll from torrential rains in Mexico rises to as search operations expand Bus crash in mountainous region of South Africa kills at least people China s exports to US drop in September while rise in global shipments hits a -month high The lawmaker s comments came shortly before Rajoelina was due to appear on national television and radio to make a speech to the people of Madagascar The president s office announced his speech was scheduled to be broadcast at p m local time GMT but was delayed after a group of soldiers attempted to take over the state broadcaster His office didn t say if he was still in Madagascar amid reports he had fled on Sunday on a French military plane The anti-government protests which were initially led by Gen-Z demonstrators began on Sept but reached a turning point on Saturday when soldiers from the elite CAPSAT military unit accompanied protesters to a square in the capital Antananarivo and called for Rajoelina and several regime ministers to step down The unit which helped Rajoelina first come to power as transitional leader in a military-backed coup in stated that it had taken charge of all the armed forces in Madagascar Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko the leader of the opposition in parliament declared that Rajoelina ran away from the country after soldiers turned against him President s whereabouts are unknown Rajoelina s office had declared Sunday that an attempt to seize power illegally and by force was underway in the nation of million off the east coast of Africa He has not appeared in constituents since the revolt by soldiers and his current whereabouts are unknown FILE President Andry Rajoelina addresses a state ceremony Sept in Antananarivo Madagascar AP Photo Alexander Joe file A spokesperson for the president didn t respond to phone calls and messages Following a description that France had flown Rajoelina and his family out of Madagascar on one of its military planes French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux declined to comment Madagascar is a former French colony Rajoelina reportedly has French citizenship a source of discontent among Madagascans Madagascar s former prime minister under Rajoelina and one of the president s closest advisors had left the country and arrived in the nearby island of Mauritius in the predawn hours of Sunday the Mauritian administration mentioned adding it was not satisfied that the private plane had landed on its territory Elite military unit 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 defense minister A commander of CAPSAT Col Michael Randrianirina noted that his soldiers had exchanged gunfire with defense 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 armored vehicles and waving Madagascar flags were cheered by people in Antananarivo Soldiers are greeted by people gathering for a ceremony in tribute to demonstrators killed during modern anti-government protest in Antananarivo Madagascar Sunday Oct AP Photo Mamyrael Soldiers are greeted by people gathering for a ceremony in tribute to demonstrators killed during fresh anti-government protest in Antananarivo Madagascar Sunday Oct AP Photo Mamyrael Soldiers are greeted by people gathering for a ceremony in tribute to demonstrators killed during fresh anti-government protest in Antananarivo Madagascar Sunday Oct AP Photo Mamyrael Show Caption of Soldiers are greeted by people gathering for a ceremony in tribute to demonstrators killed during latest anti-government protest in Antananarivo Madagascar Sunday Oct AP Photo Mamyrael Expand Randrianirina reported 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 recounted reporters that it was up to the Madagascan people to decide what happens next and if Rajoelina leaves power and a new voting process 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 Weeks of protests Madagascar has been shaken by three weeks of the the bulk major unrest in years The anti-government protests which erupted over water and electricity outages were led by a group calling itself Gen Z Madagascar The United Nations says the demonstrations left at least people dead and dozens injured The cabinet has disputed this number The protests snowballed into larger dissatisfaction with the regime and the leadership of Rajoelina The demonstrators have brought up a range of issues including poverty and the cost of living access to tertiary schooling and alleged corruption and embezzlement of constituents funds by authorities personnel as well as their families and associates Civic groups and commerce unions have also joined the protests which resulted in nighttime curfews being enforced in Antananarivo and other major cities Curfews were still in effect in Antananarivo and the northern port city of Antsiranana The Gen Z protesters who started the uprising have mobilized over the internet and say they were inspired by other protests that toppled governments in Nepal and Sri Lanka History of political crises Madagascar has had several leaders removed in coups and has a history of political crises since it gained independence from France in The -year-old Rajoelina first came to prominence as the leader of a transitional ruling body following a coup that forced then-President Marc Ravalomanana to flee the country and lose power Rajoelina was elected president in and reelected in in a vote boycotted by opposition parties Gerald Imray shared from Cape Town South Africa John Leicester contributed to this assessment from Paris AP Africa news https apnews com hub africa