The president was expected to step down as president just hours after his flight took off, after dealing with Sri Lanka’s crippling economic crisis. The resignation due on Wednesday was the formation of a unity government after protests on Saturday in which people stormed the president and the prime minister’s official residences to demand his resignation.
Protests intensified and started in May, leading to the resignation of President Rajapaksa’s brother, then Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The former prime minister resigned as protests turned violent and he went into hiding at a military base in eastern Sri Lanka.
Last Saturday, these protests broke out again despite hundreds of thousands of people storming into Colombo and occupying key government buildings.
Despite the president promising his resignation, along with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who promised to leave as soon as a new government is formed, the protesters will continue their occupation until the leaders are ousted.
Protesters went so far as to set fire to the prime minister’s house as part of their message to him to leave his post immediately.
Footage has surfaced of activists swimming in the presidential palace pool, playing games in the palace and enjoying a picnic in the garden.
Children have also been seen in the palace with their parents after schools closed due to the lack of electricity to run them.
A government source said the president was leaving for Male, the capital of the Maldives, but would then move to another Asian country.
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A fertilizer ban negatively impacted agricultural production, meaning the ban was later overturned, but it also had a detrimental effect on the economy.
With rationed gasoline, closed schools and a shortage of food, the people of Sri Lanka blame the president and his family for many of their money problems.
The election for a new president who would serve until 2024 is set to be held on July 20, although it has been reported that there is a battle to choose his replacement and that of the prime minister and cabinet.