Maldives’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday night released a statement regarding the arrival of then Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
The statement confirmed that the Government of Maldives, at the official request of the Government of Sri Lanka, granted diplomatic clearance for a Sri Lanka Air Force aircraft carrying Gotabaya Rajapaksa, President of Sri Lanka and spouse, on a transit visit, to land at the Velana International Airport on 13 July 2022. President Rajapaksa left for Singapore on 14 July 2022.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled to the Maldives earlier this week and on Thursday took a Saudi Airlines plane to Singapore. His escape to Maldives was negotiated by former President and Speaker Mohamed Nasheed, sources said. Moreover, Gotabaya Rajapaksa has resigned from his post as the President of Sri Lanka.
