Sri Lanka Out of Gasoline, ‘Difficult’ Months Ahead, Prime Minister Says

Sri Lanka's new Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe (C), visits a Buddhist temple after his swearing in ceremony in Colombo on May 12, 2022. Ishara S. Kodikara/AFP via Getty Images

Sri Lanka has run out of gasoline and the country’s finances are “extremely precarious,” its new prime minister said on May 16.

The cash-strapped government urgently needs $75 million in foreign exchange to pay for essential imports within the next couple of days, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said.