Sri Lanka’s President, who fled mass protests, announced his resignation today. Gotabaya Rajapaksa emailed his resignation shortly after arriving in Singapore, a spokesman for the speaker said. Rajapaksa fled the capital Colombo shortly before the presidential palace was stormed on Saturday. He then announced his resignation to allow for a “peaceful transfer of power”.
The spokesman told the AFP news agency that the “authenticity and legality” of Rajapaksa’s email must now be checked. An official confirmation of the resignation is expected for tomorrow. Rajapaksa’s resignation would be the first by a Sri Lankan president since the establishment of a presidential system of government in 1978.
First, Rajapaksa fled to the Maldives with his wife in a military plane. His arrival there, however, sparked protests. Dozens of Sri Lankans demonstrated in Male, the capital of the Maldives, calling on the local government not to offer sanctuary to Rajapaksa. Now he is on a “private visit” in Singapore.
According to information from Sri Lankan security circles, Rajapaksa could continue to the United Arab Emirates. According to observers, the president wanted to avoid being arrested by leaving the country before resigning.