Censure vote vs Sri Lankan leader fails as crisis simmers

By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI
Associated Press

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka’s ruling party has defeated a move in Parliament to urgently debate a motion censuring President Gotabaya Rajapaksa for the nation’s worst economic crisis. The prime minister said Sri Lanka has enough gasoline stocks for only a day. It’s unclear when the motion will be taken up again. It doesn’t legally bound Rajapaksa to quit, but his refusal to do so has already roiled Sri Lanka. The country is on the brink of bankruptcy while it negotiates with other countries and institutions an economic lifeline to be able to import basic supplies, medicines and fuel. The new prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, said Monday that the country’s treasury is struggling to find even $1 billion while it needs $75 billion.