The Sri Lankan government has a new leader 2 days after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa left the nation on a military aircraft.
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Shop NowHis July 13 departure followed days of mass demonstrations over the nation’s destitute economy with residents demanding his resignation. Rajapaksa had actually promised to resign however left no official letter, stalling the setup of new government. He designated Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as acting president in his absence.
Wickremesinghe has described the protests as a “fascist threat to democracy” and urged participants to vacate the “president’s office, the president’s secretariat and the prime minister’s official residence” which had come under the control of hundreds of thousands of protesters over the weekend.
Protesters even set fire to Wickremesinghe’s personal home over the weekend.
After Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena officially revealed Rajapaksa’s resignation on July 15, Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the interim president.
He swore to help with modifications to the constitution that would restrict governmental powers, boost Parliament’s capabilities, and bring back order in the nation.
Wickremesinghe likewise stated he would do something about it against “insurgents” who he suggested led violent clashes near Parliament on the night of July 13.
“I will take immediate steps to establish the rule of law and peace in the country. I accept 100% the right to peaceful protests. But some are trying to do acts of sabotage,” he said. “There is a big difference between protesters and insurgents… We will take legal action against insurgents.”
Legislators are expected to choose a new president on July 20.
Escalating inflation has actually kicked off an economic crisis in Sri Lanka. Scarcities of fuel, food, and medication in addition to rolling blackouts have actually afflicted significantly disappointed people.
“The Sri Lankan economy’s foreign reserves were decimated as a result of the ongoing pandemic and travel restrictions, but also substantial uncertainty over consumer confidence and the state of the economy,” reports The Diplomat. Additionally, “the Sri Lankan state is fundamentally incapable of repaying the vast loans it has taken out, from countries including, but not limited to, China, but also from international markets.”
Rajapaksa, whose family has actually controlled nationwide politics for several years, has actually been implicated of mishandling the country’s economy and siphoning federal government cash for individual usage.
The 73-year-old president left Sri Lanka for the Maldives, where demonstrations appeared upon his arrival. He then took a trip to Singapore, which rejected his ask for political asylum.
He is anticipated to stay in the nation prior to taking a trip to the United Arab Emirates.
Sri Lanka, an island country with 22 million residents, became independent from the British Empire in 1948.
H/T Timcast
