President of Srilanka?
VerifiedAnswer: Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Explanation:
Gotabaya Rajapaksa served as the President of Sri Lanka from November 18, 2019, until July 14, 2022. He was the seventh Executive President of Sri Lanka and belonged to the prominent Rajapaksa political family that has played a significant role in Sri Lankan politics for decades.
Before becoming President, Gotabaya had an extensive military background and served as the Secretary of Defense under his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa's presidency from 2005 to 2015. During this period, he played a crucial role in ending the 26-year civil war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009.
Gotabaya won the 2019 presidential election by securing 52.25% of the votes, defeating his main opponent Sajith Premadasa. His campaign focused on national security, economic development, and anti-corruption measures. However, his presidency faced numerous challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic, economic crisis, and widespread public protests.
His presidency came to an abrupt end in July 2022 when he resigned amid massive public demonstrations and economic turmoil. The country faced severe shortages of fuel, medicine, and essential goods, leading to widespread protests known as the "Aragalaya" (struggle) movement. Following his resignation, Ranil Wickremesinghe took over as the acting President and was later elected as the new President by the Parliament.
