An election dispute has prompted several weeks of mass protests in the capital, Antananarivo, with recent daily crowds numbering half a million. The opposition candidate, who claims to have been cheated of an outright win in the December election, declared himself president Feb. 22 prompting the government to declare a state of emergency. Demonstrations in Antananarivo have remained peaceful but violence broke out in Fianarantsoa, where authorities imposed an overnight curfew. Tensions could spill over into violence and transport throughout the country could be disrupted, including into and out of the international airport.
