July 13, 2022—President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has fled Sri Lanka on a military jet amid mass uprising over economic meltdowns in his country.
The country’s air force confirmed the 73-year-old flew to the Maldives with his wife and two security officials.
“They arrived in the capital, Male, at around 03:00 local time (22:00 GMT)” BBC Sinhala said..
Mr Rajapaksa’s departure seated a family dynasty that has ruled Sri Lanka for decades.
He had been in hiding after crowds stormed his residence on Saturday although the president had earlier pledged to resign on Wednesday July 13, 2022.
According reliable sources, who are close to Mr Rajapaksa, the former leader will not remain in the Maldives, he intends to travel to a third undisclosed country.
His brother, former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, has also left Sri Lanka and is said to be heading to the US.
As Sri Lankans awoke to news of the president’s departure, thousands of people took to the streets of the capital, Colombo.
Many gathered at Galle Face Green, the city’s main protest site. Some listened to fiery speeches at a makeshift stage set up for ordinary people to take the mic.
Punctuated by cries of “Victory to the struggle”, the rallying cry of the protest movement, speakers railed against a government and the leaders they feel have failed them.
Others were furious about Mr Rajapaksa’s departure, seeing a lack of accountability.
“We don’t like it. We want to keep him. We want our money back! And we want to put all the Rajapaksas in an open prison where they can do farm work,” said protester GP Nimal.
But 23-year-old university student Reshani Samarakoon told the media that the former president’s exile offered “hope that in the future we can eventually become a developed country, economically and socially”.
