Myanmar’s embattled junta chief takes on role of nominal president
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Myanmar has been engulfed in chaos since February 2021 when the military led by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing ousted an elected civilian government in a coup.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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NAYPYITAW – All duties of Myanmar’s figurehead president have been transferred to the chief of the ruling junta, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, after the nominal head of state was placed on medical leave following a period of prolonged illness, state television said on July 22.
Myanmar has been engulfed in chaos since February 2021
Although Mr Myint Swe, 73, is only a figurehead president, the junta has depended on him to sign its decrees and provide a veneer of legitimacy to its rule, as it struggles to contain an expanding civil war and manage a crumbling economy.
“The Interim President’s Office has sent a letter to the State Administration Council Office notifying it to delegate the responsibilities,” state television MRTV said on July 22, referring to the military-backed council chaired by Gen Min Aung Hlaing.
Mr Myint Swe, a former army officer who became president during the coup, is suffering from “neurological disorders”, the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported last week, adding that he was unable to carry out basic activities, including eating.
Gen Min Aung Hlaing, 68, is in his weakest position since deposing the government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi three years ago as he faces questions about his leadership following a series of battlefield defeats for the once-feared military. REUTERS
