The former Madagascar’s head of state, Didier Ratsiraka, died on Sunday morning, March 28, at the age of 84. The announcement was made on his Facebook page. He had been president of Madagascar twice, from 1975 to 1993, then from 1997 to 2002. The naval officer, nicknamed “the Red Admiral” for his socialist policies, had been in hospital earlier this week for a routine check-up. .
He is an emblematic figure of Big Islandwho died out. Didier Ratsiraka, originally from Vatomandry, on the country’s east coast, was head of state for 21 years.
As a naval officer, he entered politics as a soldier in 1972 during a transitional regime. At the age of 36, he became Foreign Minister. It was three years later that he was taken to the country’s head of a military catalog. He then had the charter of the socialist revolution and the constitution of the second republic adopted by referendum in his capacity as head of state.
This close Fidel Castro then sets up malgachization of education and the names of cities and a socialist policy. A policy that ultimately proves to be an economic and social failure.
►Also read:Didier Ratsiraka, former Malagasy president, “comrade” of Fidel Castro
After the crisis and exile in France
In 1991, he accepted the liberal transition demanded by Albert Zafy, who succeeded him as head of state. But the Red Admiral was re-elected four years later, and at the end of that term a post-election crisis forced him into exile in France for nine years.
Since his return and until very recently, he was active in Malagasy politics and was regularly invited to television sets to deliver his analyzes.
►Listening: Madagascar: Confessions of Cécile Lavrard-Meyer and Didier Ratsiraka
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