A unit in the Madagascar military broke from the government on Saturday and joined protesters who have been calling for the president’s resignation, raising fears of a coup attempt on the island nation off the coast of southern Africa.
The developments represented a major escalation in tensions after weeks of chaotic, youth-led demonstrations that have threatened President Andry Rajoelina’s grip on power. After rumors spread that Mr. Rajoelina may have left the country, he sought to quell any suggestion that he would be forced from power.
Mr. Rajoelina’s whereabouts is not publicly known, but his office released a statement Saturday night saying that he and the prime minister were “fully in control of the nation’s affairs.”
In an address, the prime minister, who was appointed less than a week ago, called for calm and dialogue.
“It is unthinkable for the armed forces to shoot at each other,” said the prime minister, Gen. Ruphin Fortunat Zafisambo, after reports that the breakaway army unit had been fired upon by law enforcement.
The protests, which began over the government’s failure to provide reliable electricity and water, have exploded into an uprising over broader grievances, including corruption, bad governance and poor quality of life.
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The post Fears of a Coup Rise in Madagascar as Army Unit Joins Protesters appeared first on New York Times.
