Sri Lanka is now facing the most critical crisis since its independence from England in 1948. The effects of the pandemic have exacerbated an already critical situation due to years of bad governance and the deep corruption of the political class. As a result, after months of protests, in July 2022 the Presidential secretariat, the president’s house and the houses of some ministers were attacked in a few days, leading former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country and resign. The new president, Ranil Wickremesinghe, besides being also accused of corruption, has several charges against him of human rights violations and violence during the civil war that ended in 2009.

The country is now living a phase of strong repression of the protests and persecution of anti-government activists. With inflation at 70%, prices of basic goods such as food are skyrocketing and there are shortages of fuel, fertiliser and medicines, with serious consequences for the population while at the same time favouring the black market. The future of Sri Lanka has never been more uncertain.