Sri Lanka‘s beleaguered President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has confirmed his resignation, with the prime minister’s office saying protesters stormed the official residences of the two leaders.
Protesters are still occupying the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Prime Minister’s residence and have refused to leave until the leaders step down. The Speaker of Parliament said on Saturday that the President would resign on July 13. But many protesters strongly objected to this announcement.
On Monday, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe‘s office said in a statement that Rajapaksa had officially informed them that he would step down on Wednesday. However, there has been no direct word from Mr Rajapaksa.
According to the Sri Lankan constitution, his resignation can be formally accepted only if he resigns by letter to the Speaker of the Parliament, which has not yet happened.
Wickremesinghe had earlier also said that he would step down from his post.
Mr Rajapaksa’s location has not yet been disclosed, but military sources have said he is on a naval ship in Sri Lankan waters. Sources say that his brother, former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa is at the naval base in the country.
Thousands descended on the capital on Saturday to demand the president’s resignation after months of protests. Mr Rajapaksa has been blamed for the country’s economic mismanagement, which has led to months of food, fuel and medicine shortages.
Protesters inside the palaces have refused to budge until the two leaders step down. Political leaders held more meetings on Sunday to discuss the smooth transition of power.
The speaker of Sri Lanka’s parliament told that a new cross-party coalition government should be formed within a week of the president officially stepping down.
Mahinda Yapa Abhaywardene, a member of the President’s governing party, also attributed most of the country’s economic crisis to Covid-19.