Thousands of people stormed the official residence of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the economic capital Colombo on Saturday, adding another chapter to the growing popular discontent the country has been mired in for months due to the worst economic crisis faced in seven years. decades.
Defense Ministry officials told news agencies that Rajapaksa had fled the scene before the invasion. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was also reportedly transferred to a safe place. Gates of the Ministry of Finance were also broken by protesters, who entered the site.
Motivated in large part by the fuel shortage that has lasted for months, the population is calling for the president’s resignation. In a similar situation, former premier Mahinda Rajapaksa, Gotabaya’s older brother and one of the country’s most prominent political figures, was forced to resign in May.
The tiny island of 22 million people has plunged into the worst economic crisis since independence from the United Kingdom in 1948, as essential imports of fuel, food and medicine were limited. The rise in inflation, which reached a record 54.6% in June and is expected to reach 70% in the coming months, intensified dissatisfaction.
The instability also threatens to undermine Sri Lanka’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in an attempt to secure emergency financial assistance. Calculated at US$ 51 billion, the country’s large foreign debt led the government to declare a payment moratorium on April 12.
The crisis stemming from the coronavirus pandemic has also hit the economy, which depends on tourism, hard and has reduced remittances sent by citizens working abroad. But while the health crisis has given the needed push to political and social chaos, analysts point out that the economic chaos stems from the administration of the Rajapaksa family.
The rulers announced major tax cuts, which affected government revenue and made the country have to use its reserves, leading to an increase in government debt.
The official campaign to ban the use of chemical fertilizers, under the alleged justification of promoting organic agriculture for public health purposes, also played a role, with farmers having one of the worst harvests last year, and the population watching the price of food products. basics go up.
Some protesters were holding Sri Lankan flags as they stormed the president’s official residence, showing footage from local TV channels and live streams on social media. Others celebrated in the on-site swimming pool.
At least 39 people, including two police officers, were injured and hospitalized during the protests, according to Reuters. Police used tear gas and water cannons against the crowd in some places and shots were fired into the air.
