The Minister for Defence, Mariya Ahmed Didi, defended herself on Wednesday, against accusations aimed at her since President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's motorcade was stopped, stating it was not her that determined the president's travel routes.
President Solih's motorcade was stopped in the middle of a Progressive Party of Maldives' (PPM) protest on March 20. Parliament members have since expressed their concern to the National Security Committee, asserting that it was a security failure that his motorcade had to turn around because they could not proceed forward.
The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has also created a special committee to investigate this matter. The Presidential Guards Commanding Officer, Colonel Abdul Ibrahim Abdulla, was also suspended from his position.
Responding to a question by Maavashu MP Mohamed Saeed, Minister Mariya said that the president's travel routes are not something that is determined by the minister.
Therefore, she does not believe this is a question that should be aimed at her as the minister.
Faresmathoda MP Hussain Mohamed Latheef also asked Mariya about the motorcade failure. However, Mariya did not answer the question.
Videos of the incident show the protesters not moving away from the scene, prompting the army's special security forces to jump out of vehicles with weapons and ask them to move away. However, when they did not comply, the president's bodyguards were forced to turn around and take a different route.
This was the first time in the country that a group of protesters blocked a president's motorcade.
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