Gota takes wing to US with family?

Or will stop in Dubai?

Former Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his family left for the United States Monday morning, officials at the Bandaranaike International Airport told journalists.

Officials said the Rajapaksas had left for the USA via Dubai.

Rajapaksa was accompanied by his wife Ioma Rajapaksa, daughter-in-law Sevvandi, son Manoj and the grandchild.

However, other sources said that Gotabaya had not received a visa to enter the US and will stop at Dubai.

Rajapaksa was a U.S. citizen but gave up his American citizenship to contest the presidential election here in 2019.

Rajapaksa resigned as President in July 2022 due to violent protests.

He returned to Sri Lanka in September and had applied for a visa to enter the U.S.