Gotabaya Rajapaksa has resigned as president of Sri Lanka after fleeing to Singapore in the face of mass protests at home over his rule.
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.
In the capital Colombo, delighted demonstrators greeted news of the president’s departure with dancing.
Mr Rajapaksa arrived in Singapore after first flying to the Maldives on Tuesday night. Reports say he is accompanied by his wife and two bodyguards.
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.
Once sworn in he has 30 days for parliament to endorse him. If the
Who will let him stay?
Many are asking where Gotabaya Rajapaksa is planning to flee to next. But perhaps the more important question is: who will let him stay?
It is unclear if Singapore is a transit point on the way to the Middle East, or if he intends to stay in the Southeast Asian island, and if so, for how long.
But sources say it is doubtful the Singapore government will allow him to stay for long
The rich city state has in the past played host to controversial figures such as Thein Sein, Robert Mugabe and Kim Jong-un. But harbouring Mr Rajapaksa for the long term is likely to be a line they will not cross.
This is a man accused of war crimes, under intense global scrutiny right now, having gone on the run while his country slides into economic collapse. The international criticism that Singapore would receive would not be worth it.
Authorities would also have to contend with the backlash from the Singapore public, which in recent years has become more vocal and assertive.
The country also has a significant Tamil population, some of whom are of Sri Lankan heritage. Mr Rajapaksa is accused of allowing the deaths of tens of thousands of Tamil civilians during the civil war while he was defence secretary.
Many Tamil Singaporeans would be made furious by his presence, which would in turn rock the peace that authorities have painstakingly maintained.
In short, the longer Mr Rajapaksa stays in Singapore, the bigger the headache for authorities. And it may be a headache they would rather do without.
