The Rajapaksa clan

Many blame the ruling Rajapaksa family for the dire economic crisis in the country. Here are its key figures

MR TEN PERCENT Basil Rajapaksa, 71

Nicknamed Mr Ten Percent in an interview in reference to commissions he allegedly took from govt contracts

All cases against him were let go under Gotabaya and Basil was made finance minister He resigned, with the rest of the cabinet, in April

THE LEADER Mahinda Rajapaksa, 76

He is the head of the clan

He was the president for a decade, and before that was PM in 2004

Mahinda is adored by the Sinhala-buddhist majority for crushing the Tamil rebels in the military offensive that ended the civil war

THE TERMINATOR

Gotabaya Rajapaksa, 72

He has a military background and became president in 2019

Dubbed "The Terminator" by his own family, he is feared for his short temper

In 2009, he led a brutal govt crackdown that crushed the separatist Tamil rebels after decades of civil war