Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the country’s interim president on Friday, replacing Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who resigned after fleeing exile. A new election is scheduled for next week in the parliament.
As required by the Sri Lankan constitution, Wickremesinghe was sworn in before Supreme Court Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, his office said in a statement.
Speaker of the House Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana announced on Friday morning that she has accepted the resignation of Rajapaksa, who is currently in Singapore. He fled the country, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean south of India, under pressure from a population suffering from a financial crisis and shortages of essential products. Shortly after the escape, the prime minister’s office declared a state of emergency and declared a curfew in the capital, Colombo.
new election
Next Wednesday (20th), the Sri Lankan Parliament will elect a deputy to replace Rajapaksa until the end of his term, i.e. November 2024. Nominations for the presidency will be received on Tuesday (19), and parliamentarians will need to vote The next day, he announced the office of the Speaker of the House in a short statement.
Rajapaksa fled his residence after it was invaded by protesters who accused the president of mismanagement. Sri Lanka is facing the worst economic crisis in its history. The country declared a US$51 billion (R$2.8 trillion) debt default in April and is in talks with the International Monetary Fund.
Protesters ended the occupation of public buildings in the capital, Colombo, on Thursday (14), but assured that they will continue to put pressure on power. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe is also the target of popular protests and his office is occupied by protesters demanding political change in the country, plunged into economic chaos and authoritarianism. The crisis was exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, leaving a population of 22 million without basic services, food, medicine and fuel.
Celebrating in the streets
On Thursday night, hundreds of people opposing the curfew in the capital, Colombo, gathered in front of the presidential headquarters. The venue was the meeting point of the protest movement that started three months ago and brought together those celebrating the news of his resignation.
“This is a monumental and historic victory for all Sinhalese. Gotabaya and Mahinda Rajapaksa will never give up. We Sri Lankans exercised our right to peaceful protest against them. And we will continue to create a better Sri Lanka.” ” , promised a man. Another protester said in an interview with RFI, “The main culprit was Gotabaya Rajapaksa, so it was a relief that he resigned. But Ranil Wickremesinghe also has to go, only then can we create this better Sri Lanka.”
Exile
(13) After leaving the country for the Maldives on Wednesday, Rajapaksa took a flight to Singapore the next day, where he sent his resignation letter. According to security sources, the politician traveled with his wife and two bodyguards and will stay in Singapore for a while before heading to the United Arab Emirates.
According to local media, the current ex-president had initially requested a private jet, refusing to take commercial flights with other passengers due to the hostile reception he received upon arrival in the Maldives. Velana was ridiculed and insulted as she left the airport, and a protest was held in the capital, Malé, to demand that the Maldives government not allow her free passage.
Meanwhile, Singapore’s Foreign Ministry said Gotabaya Rajapaksa was allowed to enter for a private visit to avoid seeking asylum. Rajapaksa became the first head of state to resign since Sri Lanka elected the presidential administration in 1978.
(with information from RFI and AFP)
source: Noticias
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