After problems leaving the country, the president flees to the Maldives, his country declares a state of emergency, and the police use tear gas. Sri Lanka is in a severe economic crisis. After Rajapaksa's escape, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe takes office.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has been appointed interim president following the flight of Sri Lanka's head of state, Gotabaya Rajapaksa. "Because of his absence, President Rajapaksa has told me that, in accordance with the constitution, he has appointed the prime minister as acting president," Parliament Speaker Yapa Abeywardana said in a brief televised address on Wednesday.
Sri Lanka is in a severe economic crisis, and there have been mass protests for days. The anger of the demonstrators was directed not only against the previous head of state Rajapaksa, but also against Prime Minister Wickremesinghe.
Even before the official announcement that Wickremesinghe was now head of state, an angry crowd stormed the Prime Minister's office. "Go home, Ranil! Go home, Gota!" shouted the demonstrators. The police used tear gas against the crowd. Demonstrators had already entered Wickremesinghe's private residence on Saturday and set it on fire.
Police imposed a curfew in Sri Lanka's western province, which includes Colombo, on Wednesday. A high-ranking police officer cited ongoing protests in front of the Prime Minister's office as justification. The police have orders to take action against the demonstrators.
Rajapaksa fled to the Maldives with his wife on a military plane on Wednesday night. According to an airport employee, he was taken to an unknown location by a police escort.
In view of the mass protests, the 73-year-old fled the presidential palace in the capital Colombo on Saturday, shortly before thousands of demonstrators stormed the property. Rajapaksa then announced his resignation on Wednesday to allow for a "peaceful transfer of power".
According to observers, Rajapaksa wanted to avoid possible arrest by leaving the country before resigning. The head of state is accused of mismanagement. As president, he enjoyed immunity from prosecution.
The South Asian island state is currently experiencing a massive economic crisis. The government was recently no longer able to finance the most important imports such as food, fuel and medicines. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka has asked the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Russia for help.
