Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has resigned from his sudden exile in Singapore.
Gatekeepers News reports that his resignation comes a day after fleeing the country he led for nearly three years.
“The speaker has received a letter of resignation from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa via the Sri Lankan High Commission in Singapore,” said a statement from Parliament speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena’s office.
The statement, issued hours after Rajapaksa landed in Singapore, said a formal announcement will be made Friday after the letter is authenticated.
He is believed to have wanted to leave Sri Lanka before stepping down in order to avoid the possibility of arrest under a new administration.
The cost of food, fuel and other basic supplies has soared for Sri Lankans.
Singapore’s foreign ministry said Mr Rajapaksa had not asked for asylum or been granted asylum. “Singapore generally does not grant requests for asylum,” it added.
The acting president, Ranil Wickremesinghe, does not formally become interim president until he is sworn in.
After that, Mr Wickremesinghe – who was appointed acting president by President Rajapaksa after the latter fled – has 30 days for parliament to endorse him. If they do not, MPs need to hold a vote for a new president.
