The country is seeking a $3 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund.
After months of boiling public anger over the worst economic crisis in 70 years, thousands of protestors have flooded the President’s palace in Sri Lanka.
The country is currently suffering an enormous economic crisis, a severe foreign exchange shortage and dwindling supplies of fuel, food and medicine.
Officials are in talks with the International Monetary Fund, hoping for a $3 billion bailout, but political unrest could jeopardise the proceedings.
According to Reuters, after months of a sit-in protest in the commercial capital Colombo, protestors stormed the building with no security personnel in sight.
Video footage of Sri Lankan protesters taking over President's office in Colombo
📸 Buddi U Chandrasiri pic.twitter.com/FINwaaqUat
— NewsWire 🇱🇰 (@NewsWireLK) July 9, 2022
Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa (pictured) was moved to a secure location on Friday and on Saturday, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe called an emergency meeting of the party leaders.
Wickremesinghe has also been transported to a secure location and has asked the speaker to summon parliament.
Chants calling for President Rajapaksa’s resignation are plentiful, as are videos from within the presidential residence.
In one shared by Newswire on Twitter, thousands can be seen huddled together as they break past barricades.
Meanwhile, in another, groups of people are shown swimming in the President’s pool.
At least 39 people – including two police officers – have been injured and hospitalised amid the protests, Reuters also reports.
📸 Protesters cool down in President's swimming pool after storming his official residence in Fort. pic.twitter.com/jROaa4NDWy
— NewsWire 🇱🇰 (@NewsWireLK) July 9, 2022
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