The president of the figurehead of Myanmar Myint Swe dies after a long illness

The president of the figurehead of Myanmar who came to power after a coup in 2021, Myint Swe, died, said military leaders of the Southeast Asian Nation. He was 74 years old.

Before his death, Myint Swe had I have been on medical leave for over a year due to the drop in health.

The chief of the Junta, Min Aung Hlaing, fulfills the duties of ceremony largely of Myint Swe since July 2024.

The country’s junta appointed the acting president of Myint Swe after overthrowing the civil government led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

He died in a hospital in the capital Non Pyi Taw at 08:28 Local time (02:58 GMT) due to “neurodegenerative diseases and related neurological disorders,” said the junta.

State funerals have been planned for Myint Swe, he said.

As an acting president, he approved multiple extensions to the country’s state of emergency.

On Wednesday, the new World Journal of the Myanmar State of State published a Junta declaration announcing that Myint Swe was in a “critical state”, after having “suffered weight loss, loss of appetite, fever and a drop in cognitive function” in July.

At the beginning of 2023, Myint Swe “began to experience slowness in the movement and the ability to consume food and nutrients,” said the press release.

He added that he had received treatment in Singapore in April 2024 and that he was on medical leave in July 2024.

Myanmar has been in the troubles since the 2021 coup, with a persistent civil war between the forces of the junta and the ethnic armed groups.

Min Aung Hlaing announced in March that the country would have a national election in December 2025 or January 2026 – the first vote since the junta took power during the coup.

But criticism say that the election is an imposture designed to maintain the power of the junta through proxy political parties.

Last week, the Myanmar junta ended a state of emergency and transferred power to an interim government to open the way to the elections.

But Min Aung Hlaing, who remains the acting president and military leader, retains de facto control of the country’s leaders.