The Minister of Justice and the Minister of Youth and Sports, who is also the President’s nephew, are among those either to have resigned or signaled their intention to do so.

The moves follow weeks of turmoil in which a foreign exchange crisis in the island nation has forced a currency devaluation and sent the cost of basic goods such as food, medicine, and fuel soaring. Long lines at supermarkets, gas stations and pharmacies have tested the public’s patience, as have hours-long power blackouts.

Public anger boiled over into violent protests in Colombo last week, with demonstrators hurling bricks and setting fires outside the residence of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. In response, the government on Friday declared a state of emergency, imposing a curfew in parts of the city and blocking social media platforms nationwide. Continue Reading