President Andry Rajoelina of Madagascar said in a speech published online Monday that he was sheltering in an undisclosed location after weeks of bloody protests that had thrown this deeply impoverished southern African island nation into chaos.
The announcement was the latest chapter of upheaval for the mineral-rich nation, where protesters denounced Mr. Rajolina’s government for its failure to provide basic necessities like electricity and water. The move by the president came after Madagascar’s security forces — which initially had led a violent crackdown on the protests — joined the youth-led demonstrators and said they would no longer take orders from their superiors.
As residents waited for Mr. Rajoelina to deliver a national address on Monday, the mood was festive in the capital, Antananarivo, with most anticipating his resignation.
Thousands gathered at May 13 Square, a center of protest in front of City Hall, where vendors peddled fruit, grilled meat and ice cream.
The crowd waved Malagasy flags and chanted songs, including one that used an expletive to call for Mr. Rajoelina to step down. A large banner with the anime skull and bones that has become a symbol of Gen Z protests worldwide hung next to a stage. Speakers from student groups, workers unions and other activists rallied the crowd.
When the casket of a protester who was shot and killed on Saturday was paraded past the square on top of a van, the crowd fell quiet as people raised their hands in respect.
“I’m happy and confident of a better future in Madagascar,” said Fenosoa Hanitriniaina, a 29-year-old law student.
Mr. Rajoelina, 51, has insisted that he will remain in power, even as rumors spread over the weekend that he had left the country. His situation grew increasingly tenuous on Sunday when senior members of the elite paramilitary police force, the gendarme, posted a video saying that they supported the protesters.
As the security forces defected on Sunday, Ruphin Fortunat Zafisambo, a former army general appointed prime minister by Mr. Rajoelina last week, said he would speak with them.
“I am a soldier first and foremost,” he said in a text message to The New York Times. “The most important and urgent thing for me is to have frank discussions with my brothers in arms. We have one thing in common, which is a deep love for our country. I remain confident about that.”
The protests in Madagascar began more than two weeks ago, spurred by anger over the government’s failure to reliably deliver electricity and water. They have since grown to include broader grievances about corruption and the economy.
The majority of Madagascar’s nearly 32 million residents live in poverty, according to the World Bank, and both extreme drought and flooding from cyclones have threatened its critical agricultural production in recent years.
Many of the protesters said they lost faith in Mr. Rajoelina’s ability to fix the nation’s problems.
Mr. Rajoelina, who is serving his third term, came to power after leading a coup in 2009. He lost an election in 2013, but regained the presidency in 2018. He was re-elected in 2023, though his opponents argue that the process was rigged.
Despite coming to power in a coup, Mr. Rajoelina has warned against another one, saying recently that it would further destabilize the country.
He fired his entire cabinet this month, a change he said he made in response to the protests. But calls for his resignation only grew louder.
During the protests, Madagascar’s security forces used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the demonstrations. The United Nations has said that nearly two dozen people have been killed, a figure the government disputed.
