Myanmar’s acting president, Myint Swe, has died at the age of 74 after a long illness. The military announced his death on Thursday morning at a military hospital in Naypyitaw.
Myint Swe had been receiving intensive care since July last year and was reported to be in critical condition until recently. He had previously stopped carrying out his presidential duties due to his health, but the exact cause of his death has not been disclosed by the military.
Myint Swe took over as acting president on February 1, 2021, after the military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. He held the position under controversial circumstances, with critics arguing that he had assumed the role without the consent of the democratically-elected leader.
As acting president, Myint Swe chaired the National Defense and Security Council, which is nominally a constitutional body but is controlled by the military. During his time in office, he was unable to perform many of his duties due to the control exerted by senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing.
Myint Swe’s appointment and acquiescence to the army’s demands allowed the council to declare a state of emergency and hand over power to Min Aung Hlaing. The military has faced international criticism for its actions, with Myint Swe’s role in the takeover widely questioned by human rights groups and legal experts.
The funeral will be held at the state level, but no date has been disclosed yet. Myint Swe was a former general and had a long history of involvement in Myanmar’s politics, including serving as chief minister of Yangon and heading its regional military command. He is survived by his wife and two children.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/myanmar-acting-president-myint-swe-obituary-dead-3e816743ec95a1ab4b543ab0846615a8