Sri Lankan president resigns from exile

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has resigned. After his departure from the country, first to the Maldives, and from his current refuge in Singapore, his resignation is the result of the intense protests that the nation is going through. Since the end of March, thousands of citizens have taken to the streets to protest the economic crisis.

The resignation was expressed through an email to the Speaker of Parliament; transmitted to the country's attorney general, and finally authenticated. "The president has resigned and legally vacated his office on July 14, 2022," Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene announced to the press.

Rajapaksa thus becomes the first Sri Lankan president to resign from office since the presidential system of government was adopted in 1978. For his succession the new president will be elected within seven days of the resignation.

There is speculation that he sought to go abroad before resigning to avoid arrest. As president, he enjoys immunity, and according to security sources, he will stay in Singapore for some time before leaving for the United Arab Emirates.

Protests and tensions in the country since March

Sri Lanka, after months of protests over the economic situation, is suffering shortages of essential products due to the lack of foreign currency for imports and protesters believe that the crisis is due to Rajapaksa's mismanagement.

According to the UN, the nation is facing a near humanitarian crisis, with no food, medicine, fuel, and power cuts experienced on a daily basis by most of the 22 million population.

"Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since independence in 1948. We are concerned that this could turn into a full-blown humanitarian emergency," said Jens Laerke, spokesman for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

One of the most shocking scenes is when the demonstrators invaded the official residence of the president and later took over the office of the prime minister. The complex was opened to the public and thousands of people have visited the building since the president's escape.

Uncertainty and tense calm in the streets

Although uncertainty abounds among citizens, the news of Rajapaksa's resignation from abroad was received with joy in the streets, where protesters are waiting to see who his successor will be.

Hundreds of people have begun to leave the government buildings they had taken over since Monday as a gesture of peaceful goodwill.