Sri Lankan president flees the country amid economic crisis

The president of Sri Lanka has fled the country, days after protesters stormed his home and office and the official residence of his prime minister amid a three-month economic crisis.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, his wife and two bodyguards left aboard a Sri Lankan Air Force plane bound for for the city of Male, the capital of the Maldives, according to an immigration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

Mr Rajapaksa had agreed to step down under pressure.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said he would leave once a new government was in place.

Lawmakers agreed to elect a new president next week but struggled on Tuesday to decide on the make-up of a new government to lift the bankrupt country out of economic and political collapse.

The promised resignations brought no end to the crisis — and the protesters have vowed to occupy the official buildings until their top leaders are gone.

For days, people have flocked to the presidential palace almost as if it were a tourist attraction — swimming in the pool, marvelling at the paintings and lounging on the beds piled high with pillows. At one point, they also burned the prime minister’s private home.

While lawmakers agreed late on Monday to elect a new president from their ranks on July 20, they have not yet decided who will take over as prime minister and fill the Cabinet.

The new president will serve the remainder of Mr Rajapaksa’s term, which ends in 2024 — and could potentially appoint a new prime minister, who would then have to be approved by Parliament.

The prime minster is to serve as president until a replacement is chosen — an arrangement that is sure to further anger protesters who want Mr Wickremesinghe out immediately.

Corruption and mismanagement have left the island nation laden with debt, unable to pay for imports of basic necessities, causing despair among its 22 million people.

Sri Lankans are skipping meals and lining up for hours to try to buy scarce fuel — a harsh reality in a country whose economy had been growing quickly and had a growing and comfortable middle class, until the latest crisis deepened.

The political impasse added fuel to the economic crisis since the absence of an alternative unity government threatened to delay a hoped-for bailout from the International Monetary Fund. The government must submit a plan on debt sustainability to the IMF in August before reaching an agreement.

In the meantime, the country is relying on aid from neighbouring India and from China.

Asked whether China was in talks with Sri Lanka about possible loans, a Chinese Foreign Ministry official gave no indication whether such discussions were happening.

“China will continue to offer assistance as our capability allows for Sri Lanka’s social development and economic recovery,” said the spokesman, Wang Wenbin.

“As to its debt to China, we support relevant financial institutions in finding a proper solution through consultation with Sri Lanka.”

On Tuesday, Sri Lanka’s religious leaders urged protesters to leave the government buildings they are occupying if Mr Rajapaksa resigns as promised on Wednesday. The protesters have vowed to wait until both Mr Rajapaksa and Mr Wickremesinghe are out of office.