Sri Lankan President Gotabaya flees to Maldives; India denies role
Sources said he was received by a Maldivian government representative at the Velana airport late Tuesday night. According to reports, he fled in Air Force plane overnight.
FollowSri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who is scheduled to step down from his post on Wednesday, fled the Island nation and landed up in the Maldivian capital of Male. Sources said he was received by a Maldivian government representative at the Velana airport late Tuesday night.
Gotabaya fled the country after months of demonstrations over the economic crisis exacerbated by government mismanagement and missteps that culminated with protesters storming his residence. According to reports, he fled in Air Force plane overnight.
Meanwhile, the Indian High Commission in Colombo has categorically denied "baseless and speculative" media reports that India facilitated the travel of President Gotabaya and Basil Rajapaksa out of Sri Lanka
On Monday night, Rajapaksa and his brother and former finance minister Basil had attempted to leave the country. However, they were turned back at the Colombo airport.
Sri Lankans have been seething upon the powerful Rajapaksa family since the crisis exploded. People hold Basil, 71, squarely responsible for the country's worst economic crisis. He resigned as finance minister in early April after shortages of fuel, food, and other necessities intensified street protests. He also quit his seat in parliament in June.
Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena will publically announce President Rajapaksa's resignation amid attempts by the country's political parties to form an all-party government and elect a new President on July 20 to prevent the bankrupt nation from sliding further into anarchy.
According to the Sri Lankan Constitution, the Speaker of parliament will serve as acting president for a maximum of 30 days if both the president and prime minister resign.
The new president will be elected by the Parliament from one of its members within 30 days. The person will hold the office for the remaining two years of the current term.
Meanwhile, protesters still occupy Colombo's three main buildings -- the President's House, the presidential secretariat and the prime minister's official residence. The nation of 22 million people is struggling to buy food, medicine, fuel and other essentials.
The distribution of cooking gas has resumed. Indian Oil Company resumed fuel delivery to retailers after a stoppage on Sunday. Long queues are still been seen at fuel pumps.
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