Contrary to appearances, Madagascar's president, Andry Rajoelina, who has faced a revolt from young people demanding his departure since September 25, had not yielded. Although he had not been seen since Thursday, October 9, he finally appeared on Monday evening in a 20-minute address broadcast with a three-and-a-half-hour delay at 10:35 pm on social media from a "safe location," which was not identified, to deny rumors of his fleeing that had fueled widespread speculation since Sunday. Amateur videos notably showed a helicopter landing on Sainte-Marie, an island off Madagascar's east coast, followed by the takeoff of a French military plane bound for La Réunion.

On screen, there was none of the usual decor of the Iavoloha Palace. Dressed in a gray suit and filmed in close-up with only geometric-patterned wallpaper and the Madagascar flag behind him, the president did not announce his resignation, as his days of silence and departure from the Great Island had led protesters to hope.

"I have taken measures to protect my life and avoid a bloodbath among the Malagasy people. I am currently on a mission abroad. A plot to assassinate me was orchestrated by certain groups [and] prepared before September 25," he stated, without further details. Rajoelina renewed his call for dialogue with those defying his authority and again warned of the risks for the country if the crisis were resolved outside the Constitution, listing the projects that could lose funding.

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