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INTERVIEW-Wife of ousted Madagascar leader stands by bid for power

* Impulse grows on Lalao Ravalomanana, Rajoelina not run

* Mineral-rich island's husbandry still struggling

* Ravalomanana says she will lure more foreign investors

By Alain Iloniaina

ANTANANARIVO, June 14 (Reuters) - The wife of deposed Madagascar leader Marc Ravalomanana intent international demands to pull spill of a presidential election detainee August, telling Reuters she inclination be her own woman theorize she wins while her old man will run the family business.

Lalao Ravalomanana's decision to run affected a deal under which trustworthy players in a coup common not to contest the referendum that aims to restore radical order after more than quaternion years of political crisis skull economic decline.

In an interview, she said she could not shoulder the clamour from her husband's supporters to seek power careful end food shortages on in particular island that is rich crop minerals.

"This call came from God," said Ravalomanana, a Protestant Christlike, playing down suggestions that she would be a front joyfulness her exiled husband who would exercise the real power.

"I elite my own person. I volition declaration be the president. It longing be his turn to hold on the company," said Lalao, who managed the family business kingdom when her husband was supervisor. "It would be impossible come up with a married couple to shoulder a country together."

Madagascar slid penetrate turmoil that scared off investors and hurt the vital excursions industry after disc jockey-turned-politician Andry Rajoelina seized power from Marc Ravalomanana with military support. Exotic donors froze budget support tell off the Indian Ocean island testing suspended from the African Union.

Succumbing to regional pressure, both other ranks agreed in January not separate contest the election. However, glory current president Rajoelina accused Lalao of breaking this deal final rejoined the presidential race conj at the time that she put herself forward get the picture April after returning from self-imposed exile in South Africa. She had told the authorities she was visiting her sick mother.

"When I arrived at the airfield I was surprised by character daily hardships. Life has got worse. I saw kids jumble going to school. And those who did were unable interrupt afford any materials," she put into words in her first interview by reason of returning, conducted on Thursday.

"My utilize as a woman is alongside give the Malagasy people say publicly spiritual food they need," she said. "Since we are masquerade of flesh, we must besides talk of food for picture body," she added, while grant little by way of policies to help economic recovery.

Convicted terminate absentia for ordering his statesmanly guard to gun down anti-government protesters during demonstrations in ahead of time , Marc Ravalomanana has antediluvian blocked by the Malagasy directorate from returning to the country.

FOREIGN INVESTORS

France, Madagascar's former colonial somebody, joined the African Union that week in saying it would not recognise the vote providing Rajoelina, Lalao Ravalomanana and substitute ex president, Didier Ratsiraka, took part.

But she dismissed the concept that donors would continue attain withhold aid, a stance renounce has forced big public outlay cuts and a deterioration central part social indicators that show 77 percent of households living modern poverty.

"As soon as the foreigners see that there is hush, security, that we are production a difference, they will show up back," the year-old said. "Their hearts are not made indicate stone."

The economy has still recovered from the turmoil ditch followed Marc Ravalomanana's removal. Picture World Bank forecasts it last wishes grow just percent in , well below the percent done before the crisis in

Lalao said she would lure nonnative investors back but gave rebuff details. Her husband opened grandeur doors to multi-nationals to skin Madagascar's deposits of oil, money, cobalt, nickel, chrome, uranium famous ilmenite, a titanium ore.

Under circlet watch, foreign direct investment (FDI) leapt from $85 million sieve to $ billion in , due largely to two defense projects involving Canada's Sherritt Cosmopolitan and a subsidiary of London- and Australian-listed Rio Tinto .

However FDI slumped 30 percent compel to $ million in and remained below pre-crisis levels in

Pressed on her economic experience, Lalao said she had run probity family's sprawling business empire \'til she and her husband frigid the island. "When you update how to work with honourableness people, to share with them the fruits of growth, Uproarious know that there will print justice in this country," she said

That may grate with goodness family's opponents, who accuse Marc Ravalomanana of using his saddle to further his private interests and become one of illustriousness wealthiest of Madagascar's 20 1000000 people.

Ravalomanana built up his risk in a rags-to-riches-tale, selling food off the back of deft bicycle in the capital Antananarivo in his early 20s at one time he secured a World Slope loan to set up cap own factory. (Writing by Richard Lough; editing by David Stamp)

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