State of emergency declared in Sri Lanka as president flees to the Maldives

• Sri Lanka is under a state of emergency after its president fled the country.
• Gotabaya Rajapaksa, 73, was set to resign Wednesday, but fled instead for the Maldives.
• Protesters surrounded Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s residence in Colombo.

A state of emergency declared in Sri Lanka; after the president left the country on Wednesday. After putting a prime minister in control of a country; already experiencing political and economic unrest.

Wednesday was the planned day for the 73-year-old president to step down. Instead, according to several media agencies, including The New York Times, the Associated Press, CNN, and The Washington Post; the leader abandoned the nation for the Maldives.

According to the Times, it was unclear who was in charge of Sri Lanka in the meantime. As a result, demonstrators surrounded the home of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in Colombo; where they were in the presence of tear gas.

Rajapaksa made a number of “political errors” shortly after taking power in 2019; the publication claims, which led to unrest in the island nation of 22 million people.

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As a result of the pandemic’s impact on tourism; Sri Lanka is currently on the verge of bankruptcy, according to the AP. Rajapaksa’s decision to outlaw fertilisers throughout the nation; which is to improve the environment and the general health of the populace; however backfired and caused a scarcity of food, medicine, and gasoline.

Demonstrators have been urging Rajapaksa to resign for months, but he has resisted. According to The Post, he announced his resignation; after hundreds of them abruptly surrounded his home last Saturday.

Rajapaksa is a member of a political family and has held the position of power; since before the epidemic began.

When he proclaimed victory in 2009 and put an end to a 26-year civil war; against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam insurgents; his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa—who is regarded as a war hero—became an iconic figure.

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