Gotabaya Rajapaksa

Gotabaya Rajapaksa, born on June twentieth, nineteen forty-nine, is a notable figure in Sri Lanka's political and military history. He served as the eighth President of Sri Lanka from November eighteenth, two thousand nineteen, until his resignation on July fourteenth, two thousand twenty-two. Before ascending to the presidency, he held the position of Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development from two thousand five to two thousand fifteen, during the administration of his brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa. His tenure was marked by a significant role in the final phase of the Sri Lankan Civil War.

Hailing from a politically influential family in the Southern Province, Rajapaksa received his education at Ananda College in Colombo. He joined the Ceylon Army in April nineteen seventy-one, where he underwent basic training at the Army Training Centre in Diyatalawa. Commissioned as a signals officer, he later served in various infantry regiments, participating in key military operations during the early stages of the Sri Lankan Civil War, including the Vadamarachi Operation and Operation Strike Hard. His leadership as Defence Secretary was pivotal in the military defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in two thousand nine.

After stepping down in two thousand fifteen following his brother's electoral defeat, Rajapaksa re-entered the political arena and ran for the presidency in two thousand nineteen as a candidate for the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna. His campaign focused on nationalistic themes and security, making him the first Sri Lankan president with a military background and no prior experience in elected office.

However, his administration faced severe challenges, including a mishandled response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which contributed to an economic crisis that led Sri Lanka to default on its debts in two thousand twenty-two. The resulting shortages, inflation, and public discontent sparked widespread protests and civil unrest. In response, Rajapaksa's government implemented authoritarian measures, including state of emergency declarations and military-led arrests. Ultimately, he fled the country aboard a military aircraft on July thirteenth, two thousand twenty-two, entering self-imposed exile for fifty days. He officially resigned via email from Singapore the following day, marking a historic moment as the first Sri Lankan president to resign mid-term. Rajapaksa returned to Sri Lanka on September second, two thousand twenty-two.