Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina on Sunday said an attempted coup is underway in the Indian Ocean nation, a day after members of an elite army unit joined youth-led demonstrations calling for his resignation.
Rajoelina’s office did not provide details on who is behind the coup, and no immediate signs of violence were reported on the streets, although there was a visible military presence.
Col. Michael Randrianirina, a commander of the elite CAPSAT unit, denied a coup had occurred but claimed that the unit had taken control of Madagascar’s armed forces and installed Gen. Demosthene Pikulas as the new military leader. “We responded to the people’s call,” Randrianirina told reporters. Pikulas, speaking alongside him, did not clarify whether Rajoelina had been asked to step down, but CAPSAT appeared to hold significant authority.
The protests, led by a youth group called “Gen Z Madagascar,” have shaken the country over the past three weeks, leaving at least 22 people dead and dozens injured, according to the United Nations, though the government disputes the toll.
Rajoelina’s office said he “wishes to inform the nation and the international community that an attempt to seize power illegally and by force has been initiated,” condemning it as a threat to constitutional order and national sovereignty.
CAPSAT played a key role in the 2009 military-backed coup that first brought Rajoelina to power as head of a transitional government. The situation escalated on Saturday when CAPSAT soldiers joined protests, calling for Rajoelina and his officials to resign. Randrianirina said his troops had exchanged fire with security forces attempting to disperse demonstrators, resulting in the death of one soldier.
The protests, which began last month over electricity and water outages, have evolved into broader demonstrations against the government, citing issues such as poverty, the cost of living, corruption, and limited access to education. Civic groups and trade unions have joined the movement, prompting curfews in the capital, Antananarivo, and other major cities.
Rajoelina, 51, first rose to power after the 2009 coup that ousted then-President Marc Ravalomanana. He was elected president in 2018 and re-elected in 2023 in a vote boycotted by opposition parties. On Sept. 29, he attempted to appease protesters by dismissing his entire government, including the prime minister, but demonstrations have continued.
The U.S. Embassy in Madagascar advised American citizens to shelter in place amid the “highly volatile and unpredictable” situation, while the African Union called on all parties, civilian and military, to exercise restraint.
The Gen Z-led protests were inspired by social movements in Nepal and Sri Lanka and have grown into one of the largest uprisings Madagascar has seen in years, reflecting widespread dissatisfaction with the government and leadership of Rajoelina.
