The Sri Lankan president formalized his resignation in an email sent to the president of the country’s parliament. Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s letter of resignation has been sent to the Attorney General’s Office for formal consideration of legal considerations before the application is formally accepted.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa left Sri Lanka on Saturday minutes before his official residence was stormed by angry protesters. Fleeing, the former president flew to the Maldives and arrived in Singapore on Thursday. The BBC writes that he will be accompanied by his wife and two bodyguards.
Singapore’s Foreign Ministry said Gotabaya Rajapaksa did not apply for or receive political asylum and that the trip to the country was a private visit.
The current Prime Minister of Sri Lanka took over as interim president. Ranil Wickremesinghe now has more power to make decisions and has already imposed a state of emergency and strengthened the powers of the armed and police forces.
Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed interim president by then head of state Gotabaya Rajapaksa, after he had already fled Sri Lanka. The decision has sparked further protests with many demanding that the prime minister also resign.
The protests come at a time when Sri Lanka is undergoing a severe economic crisis with the cost of goods such as food rising and fuel prices rising.
Sri Lankan President announces his resignation after the invasion of the official residence
Source: Observadora
