Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is ready to step down to pave the way for an all-party government, his office said in a statement on Saturday, after thousands of protesters stormed the president’s official residence in Colombo. .
Soldiers and police were unable to contain the crowd of protesters who chanted demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa as public anger mounts over the country’s worst economic crisis in seven decades.
Protesters also forced their way through heavy metal gates at the Ministry of Finance and the president’s seaside offices.
Rajapaksa left the official residence on Friday as a security measure ahead of the planned demonstration over the weekend, two Defense Ministry sources said.
Reuters could not immediately confirm the president’s whereabouts.
Wickremesinghe spoke with several political party leaders to decide what action to take after the riots.
“Wickremesinghe has told party leaders that he is willing to step down as prime minister and pave the way for an all-party government to take over,” his office said in a statement.
Wickremesinghe was also moved to a safe location, a government source told Reuters.
Leaders of several opposition parties also called for Rajapaksa to step down.
“The president and prime minister must resign immediately. If that doesn’t happen, political instability will get worse,” said Sri Lanka Freedom Party leader and former president Maithripala Sirisena, speaking before Wickremesinghe offered to resign.
Source: CNN Brasil
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