New Delhi: Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country early on Wednesday (July 13, 2022) amid widespread protests over his handling of the devastating economic crisis and his expected resignation. Rajapaksa, his wife and two bodyguards left for the Maldivian capital Male on a Sri Lankan Air Force aircraft, the Air Force said in a statement. Reuters reported that the president is likely to leave for another Asian country.
Rajapaksa not seen in public since Friday Due to leave the presidency on Wednesday To make way for a unity government. Later he took this decision Thousands of protesters stormed his and the Prime Minister’s official residences Demanded their removal on Saturday.
Parliament, notably, is due to elect his replacement on 20 July.
Sri Lankan people blame Rajapaksa family for current problems
The Rajapaksa family, including former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, has dominated the country’s politics of 22 million for years and most Sri Lankans blame them for the current problems.
The economy dependent on tourism has been badly affected by the Kovid-19 pandemic. And remittances from Sri Lankans abroad have declined. Rajapaksa introduced populist tax cuts in 2019, straining government finances, while imports of fuel, food and medicines slackened as foreign reserves shrank.
Petrol has become heavily rationed in the island country and long lines have formed in front of shops selling LPG. Headline inflation hit 54.6% in June and the central bank has warned it could rise to 70% in the coming months.
Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as Prime Minister in May
The president’s elder brother Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as prime minister in May after protests against the family turned violent. He reportedly hid at a military base in the east of the country for a few days before returning to Colombo.
Protests against the government have intensified since May, but erupted anew last Saturday when hundreds of thousands of people stormed Colombo and occupied major government buildings and residences.
Earlier on Tuesday, immigration officials stopped another brother of the president, Former Finance Minister Tulsi Rajapaksa, by flying out of the country. He resigned as finance minister in early April amid massive protests against fuel and food shortages and gave up his seat in parliament in June.
(with agency input)