Exiled former deputy prime minister Pierrot Rajaonarivelo of the AREMA opposition party tried to run for president, and was considered Ravalomanana's main opponent, but he was barred from participation; he was not allowed to enter the country (on one occasion the airport at the eastern city of Toamasina was closed to keep him out, and when he tried again to enter the country he was not allowed aboard a plane in nearby Mauritius),  and his registration papers, which he could not sign because he was not allowed into the country, were rejected because he had not signed them himself.
Exiled former deputy prime minister Pierrot Rajaonarivelo of the AREMA opposition party attempted to run for president but was seen as Ravalomanana's main opponent. However, he faced numerous barriers; at Toamasina’s airport in the eastern city, his entry was blocked due to security measures, and when he tried again via Mauritius, his travel plans were thwarted. Additionally, his registration documents were rejected because they did not include his signature.