Watch: Sri Lankans Break Into Dance After Gotabaya Rajapaksa Resigns As Economic Crisis Continues

Sri Lankans were in celebratory mood while many were seen hooting and swaying to music after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa officially resigned.

Sri Lanka crisis: Sri Lankans rejoiced at the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa that protesters have sought for months. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled the country under pressure from protesters enraged by the island nation’s economic collapse, finally emailed his resignation on Thursday, a day later than promised.

Videos shared on social media showed jubilant Sri Lankans celebrating on the streets while many were seen breaking into dance. They sang, danced and hugged each other while blurting out celebratory slogans in between. The mood was festive, with people hooting and swaying to music while others chanted into a microphone that they wanted better governance.

Beautiful scenes in Colombo ♥️ #LKA #SriLankaProtests #SriLankaCrisis #අරගලයටජය pic.twitter.com/4W7GnsvRPX

— Sri Lanka Tweet 🇱🇰 💉 (@SriLankaTweet) July 14, 2022

Celebrations at #GotaGoGama after the news of @GotabayaR‘s resignation. After a long time public won a fight against the ruling class. If we want to bring power to the people still a long way to go.#lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota #GoHomeRanil #අරගලයටජය #Power2ThePeople pic.twitter.com/ctjWlGLyy5

— Prasad Welikumbura (@Welikumbura) July 14, 2022

Protesters retreated from government buildings in Sri Lanka following Rajapaksa’s resignation, restoring a tenuous calm to the economically crippled country. Months of protests reached a frenzied peak over the weekend when demonstrators stormed the Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s home and office and the official residence of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. On Wednesday, they seized Wickremesinghe’s office.

Images of protesters inside the buildings — lounging on elegant sofas and beds, posing at officials’ desks and touring the opulent settings — have captured the world’s attention.

The protesters accuse Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his powerful political family of siphoning money from government coffers for years and his administration of hastening the country’s collapse by mismanaging the economy. The family has denied the corruption allegations, but Rajapaksa acknowledged that some of his policies contributed to the meltdown.