Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has left the Maldives.
Reuters cited a Sri Lankan government source as saying that he has traveled to Singapore, after staying in the Maldives for one day. However, Associated Press (AP) stated that a Maldivian government official indicated he planned to travel onward to Saudi Arabia, but could only confirm his first stop in Singapore.
President Rajapaksa, his spouse and two bodyguards fled Sri Lanka on an air force plane to the Maldives on July 13 to escape the uprising over his family’s role in a crippling economic crisis. Many have accused Speaker and former President Mohamed Nasheed for aiding the escape and several Sri Lankans residing in Maldives on Wednesday protested against the decision to let Rajapaksa stay in the Maldives.
Sri Lankans blame President Rajapaksa’s administration for their worst economic crisis in decades. For months Sri Lankans have been struggling with daily power cuts and shortages of basics like fuel, food and medicines.
