Police in Madagascar prevent an opposition demonstration protesting the high cost of living

July 24 (EUROPA PRESS) –

Hundreds of agents of the security forces of Magadascar have tried to prevent this Saturday a political demonstration of the opposition parties in the neighborhood of Behoririka, in Antananarivo, capital of the country.

Soldiers and gendarmes armed with batons have gathered at the scene, along with armored tanks and trucks with men armed with tear gas canisters, the ‘Madagascar Tribune’ newspaper reported.

The opposition parties grouped in the platform Demonstration of Oppositionists in Madagascar for Democracy (RMDM) announced on Wednesday the realization of a march for the high cost of living.

The mobilization of armed forces has been considered an attempt to repress democracy and social movements, as well as the inability of the Executive to manage crises and raise the standard of living, explains the aforementioned medium.

The Police, for their part, have indicated that this “meeting was irregular because the platform has not previously submitted a request for authorization to demonstrate,” according to RFI.

“It is a demonstration for the recovery of Madagascar, (…) for the application of democracy. We are not against the gendarmes and the soldiers who are there. We are against those who give orders to prevent the Malagasy from speaking. Malagasy people are prevented from eating. Malagasy people are prevented from moving around. We want democracy at home,” the vice president of the RMDM platform, Alain Andriamiseza, criticized.