Sri Lanka’s president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, left the country on a military plane and arrived in the Maldives – Corriere.it

head Sri Lanka, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, left the country On a military plane he arrived in the Maldives. A move that appears to herald his resignation after months of widespread protests over the worst economic crisis in national history. After thousands of protesters stormed his official residence on SaturdayRajapaksa promised that he would step down today, paving the way for a peaceful transition of power. Rajapaksa benefits from presidential immunity and can use it to seek asylum abroad and not be detained at home. The 73-year-old president left with his wife and bodyguard on an Antonov 32 plane that took off from the main international airport.Immigration officials said. An official told AFP that their passports were stamped and they boarded the Air Force special flight.

Getting to the Maldives

A source from Mal airport confirmed to AFP the arrival of the president, who was taken to an unknown location after landing in the Maldives, the group of islands located southeast of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean. Over the weekend, the president fled his residence under pressure from thousands of protesters who finally entered the presidential complex. TheThe president and his wife had spent the night before the trip he was trying to take to a military base in Dubai. According to official sources. But at the airport, immigration officials prevented him from entering the VIP lounge to get his passport stamped. Rajapaksa wanted to avoid public prayer for fear of people’s reaction. His brother Basil, who resigned as finance minister in April, was unable to board a flight to Dubai.