Madagascar President Fled Country Amid Military Coup

Madagascan president Andry Rajoelina left the country after an elite military unit turned against the government in an apparent coup, an opposition official said. The protests, which were initially led by a youth group, reached a turning point on Saturday when soldiers from the Capsat military unit accompanied demonstrators to a square in the capital, Antananarivo, and called for Rajoelina and several government ministers to leave office.

Key Takeaways:

• The Capsat military unit, which helped Rajoelina first come to power in 2009, said it had taken charge of all the armed forces in Madagascar.
• The unit appointed a general as the new head of Madagascar's armed forces, which was accepted by the defense minister.
• Rajoelina, 51, was first president from 2009 to 2014 before returning to power in 2023.
• The opposition official, Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko, said Rajoelina "ran away" from the country on Sunday after soldiers turned against him.
• The US Embassy in Madagascar advised American citizens to shelter in place due to the "highly volatile and unpredictable" situation.
• The African Union urged all parties, "both civilian and military, to exercise calm and restraint."
• French state radio RFI reported that Rajoelina may have headed for Dubai, although the French Foreign Ministry denied any military intervention.

Statistics:

• 31 million: The population of Madagascar.
• 2009: The year Rajoelina first came to power as transitional leader in a military-backed coup.
• 2014: The year Rajoelina's first presidential term ended.
• 2023: The year Rajoelina returned to power.
• 1: The number of Rajoelina's soldiers killed by security forces during the protests.