FRESH: Former Myanmar Junta-Appointed President Myint Swe Is Dead
Former president of Myanmar, Myint Swe, appointed by the military following the country’s 2021 coup, has died at the age of 74.
According to an official statement by the ruling junta, he passed away Thursday morning at 08:28 local time (02:58 GMT) in Nay Pyi Taw due to complications from neurodegenerative and neurological disorders.
A retired general and longtime military loyalist, Myint Swe served as a ceremonial head of state after the military ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.
Though he held the title of president, real power remained with junta leader Min Aung Hlaing, who has acted as both prime minister and de facto president since Myint Swe went on extended medical leave in July 2024.
According to state media, Myint Swe had been in declining health for over a year, suffering from weight loss, cognitive decline, and fever.
The junta reported he had sought treatment in Singapore in April 2024, but his condition deteriorated, leading to his official leave just months later. A state funeral has been planned in his honor, though no specific date has been given.
As acting president, Myint Swe endorsed repeated extensions of the national state of emergency, a constitutional tool used by the junta to delay democratic elections.
His tenure symbolized the military’s effort to legitimize its rule through institutional structures, even as the country descended into civil conflict.
Myanmar has been mired in political chaos and armed resistance since the February 2021 coup, with pro-democracy groups and ethnic armed organizations locked in a brutal civil war against military forces.
In March 2025, Min Aung Hlaing announced plans for a long-delayed national election, tentatively scheduled for December 2025 or January 2026.
However, international observers and local critics have dismissed the proposed vote as a sham, intended to cement military control via proxy political parties.
Just last week, the junta formally ended the state of emergency and established an interim government to facilitate election preparations.
Despite these administrative changes, Min Aung Hlaing continues to wield absolute power as both acting president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
Myint Swe’s death closes a chapter on a deeply controversial role in Myanmar’s post-coup governance. His legacy will likely be remembered as one tethered to the junta’s efforts to maintain control while the country remains engulfed in conflict.