Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Will Not Resign Despite Protests, Says Minister

Despite nationwide protest, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to quit over his management of the ongoing economic crisis, Minister Johnston Fernando informed Parliament on Wednesday that the president will not step down.“May I remind you that 6.9 million people voted for the president,” said the chief government whip and highways minister in Parliament amid outrage by the opposition in the Sri Lankan Parliament, according to news agency Reuters.

“As a government, we are clearly saying the president will not resign under any circumstances. We will face this,” Fernando added.

The island nation is experiencing a terrible economic crisis, which has resulted in fuel shortages, 13-hour power outages, and spiraling inflation. People across the country have taken to the streets to demand that their President quit, claiming that the ruler’s mismanagement of the issue has exacerbated the situation.

According to the WatchDog research group, more than 100 demonstrations have erupted around the island nation since last week, ranging from beach areas in the south to Tamil-speaking villages in the north.

The call for resignation was echoed in parliament, with 42 members of the ruling coalition declaring themselves independent, leaving Rajapaksa’s administration with fewer than the 113 votes required to preserve a simple majority.

The President rescinded the state of emergency on Tuesday, just days after declaring it, as the country’s political turmoil worsens, making it more difficult for Sri Lanka to agree to a much-needed financial bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The proclamation that took effect April 1 is repealed as of midnight April 5, Rajapaksa announced on late Tuesday.