Madagascar’s army special forces staged a coup against President Andréy Guélina yesterday and seized power.
The move came after Rajoelina, angered by widespread youth protests, attempted to dissolve the National Assembly, but the assembly voted to impeach and remove him on charges of “abandonment” of duty.
General Michael Randria Nirena, commander of the country’s elite CAPSAT unit, announced in a radio statement that “we have taken power” and dissolved all government institutions except the National Assembly.
The coup, led by CAPSAT, which brought Rajoelina to power in the 2009 coup, came after weeks of second-generation protests against poverty, power and water shortages, and corruption.
Rajoelina, 51, who fled the country (possibly on a French military plane) fearing for his life, announced the dissolution of parliament via a post on social media, but parliament called it illegal and voted for impeachment; even lawmakers from the ruling coalition joined in this vote.
