GOTABAYA FAILS TO OFFER EVIDENCE: Where’s the “International Conspiracy” That Toppled His Regime?

Abstract

This review evaluates former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s autobiography, The Conspiracy To Oust Me From The Presidency (2024), which alleges an “internationally sponsored regime change” behind his 2022 removal from office. Despite the book’s claims, it provides no evidence of foreign involvement and instead reveals a presidency weakened by domestic interest groups, ideological rigidity, and severe policy misjudgments—ranging from tax cuts and the fertilizer ban to the delayed IMF engagement. The narrative exposes the contrast between Gotabaya’s cultivated “strongman” image and the administration’s vulnerability to internal pressures, while his portrayals of minority communities and the Aragalaya protests reflect a broader reluctance to acknowledge governance failures. Although anecdotal in nature, the autobiography offers insight into the decision-making mindset that contributed to Sri Lanka’s economic and political crisis. This review concludes that the text illuminates the domestic roots of Gotabaya’s downfall rather than substantiating his theory of foreign-orchestrated regime change, offering a useful lens for scholars examining leadership, accountability, and democratic fragility in contemporary Sri Lanka.