News Desk
MALE’ — Former President Mohamed Nasheed has launched a scathing attack on President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, dismissing the head of state’s Independence Day address as a petty “argument” directed at the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) rather than a statesmanlike reflection on sovereignty.
Addressing an MDP rally on Wednesday evening, Nasheed, who serves as the party’s chairperson, accused the administration of sweeping failures across multiple sectors, warning that the country is teetering on the edge of a sovereign default.
Nasheed expressed disdain for the setting of Muizzu’s 26th July address, noting that the president used an official state podium—flanked by senior military officers, police leadership, and dignitaries—not to deliver an intellectually grounded speech on national independence, but to launch political broadsides. He added that attempting to blame the previous administration for current shortcomings, despite the honeymoon period having long passed, had turned the government into a laughing stock among the public.
Turning to foreign policy, Nasheed singled out the government’s rhetoric towards traditional allies. He claimed that President Muizzu had cancelled a meeting with a visiting US special envoy, only to take to the podium and call to “bomb” friendly Islamic nations.
Calling out the administration’s handling of key partners, Nasheed insisted that disparaging Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates—nations that provide vital developmental assistance to the Maldives—was entirely unacceptable and would severely harm the country’s international standing.
On the domestic economy, the former president painted a grim picture. He alleged that the country’s usable foreign exchange reserves, the Bank of Maldives, state-owned enterprises, and the pension fund are effectively out of US dollars. With the black-market dollar rate climbing to 23 Rufiyaa, Nasheed blamed the crunch on the government’s failure to secure grants, obtain new loans, or execute debt restructuring.
He warned that soaring prices for basic goods, alongside potential disruptions to essential services like electricity, water, and fuel, are pushing citizens to breaking point.
“When life becomes unbearable and basic needs can’t be met, people will take to the streets,” Nasheed warned. “We will always stand with them.”
Questioning whether the government could even survive until the 2028 presidential election, Nasheed asserted that the MDP is preparing to organise street protests to force the administration back on course.
Addressing claims made by Muizzu during his address—where the president alleged that previous MDP administrations supported Israel—Nasheed forcefully rejected the assertion.
“Who could possibly support Israel after seeing the atrocious, inhumane acts broadcast on TV?” Nasheed asked the crowd, reiterating that the MDP stands firmly with the Palestinian people in their struggle for freedom.
Nasheed also dismissed official claims that the government has completed over 500 or 600 development projects. Having recently visited 102 islands, the MDP leader reported that work on the ground has ground to a complete halt, with government actively impeding local and city councils.
Port infrastructure, he added, has fallen into such disrepair that cargo containers are being turned back to Colombo and Singapore without being unloaded. The resulting demurrage and freight costs, Nasheed noted, are ultimately being passed onto ordinary Maldivian consumers.
“We do not want the Maldivian state to default, because if the state defaults, we all default,” Nasheed said, pointing out that the government has stopped publishing weekly economic data to conceal the depletion of state reserves. “Foreign investors are backing away. It is everyone’s responsibility to bring this country back to safe harbor.”
