Ailing Myanmar's acting President Myint Swe, subject to U.S. sanctions, succumbs to his illness
Myanmar's Acting President Myint Swe Passes Away
Myanmar's acting president, Myint Swe, has passed away at the age of 74, following a prolonged illness involving neurological disorders. He died on Thursday at a military hospital in Naypyitaw.
Myint Swe, a former general and a close ally of Than Shwe, the former military ruler, served as Vice President of Myanmar from 2016 and became Acting President on February 1, 2021, following the military coup d'état. As first vice president, he constitutionally succeeded to acting president, although legal experts questioned the legitimacy of his assumption of the presidency because Win Myint was neither resigned nor incapacitated.
During his time in office, Myint Swe could only perform the pro forma duties of his job, such as issuing decrees to renew the state of emergency, because Min Aung Hlaing, the military leader, controlled all government functions.
Myint Swe's rise to acting president occurred under controversial circumstances during the military coup when the army arrested the elected president Win Myint and Aung San Suu Kyi. His appointment and acquiescence to the army's demands allowed the National Defense and Security Council, a body controlled by the military that operates as the country's top decision-making body related to national security, to be convened to declare a state of emergency and hand over power to Min Aung Hlaing.
Myint Swe headed the regional military command for years under the previous military government, which stepped down in 2011. He served as chief minister of Yangon, Myanmar's biggest city, under the quasi-civilian government between 2011 and 2016.
During the 2007 Saffron Revolution—Buddhist monk-led protests—he led the crackdown in Yangon that resulted in dozens of deaths and hundreds of arrests. Myint Swe was among military leaders sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department following the military takeover and arrest of de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior politicians in February 2021.
Myint Swe's funeral will be held at the state level, but the date has not been disclosed. He is survived by his wife and two children.
The military announced Myint Swe's death through a statement from their information office. During his time as acting president, Myint Swe chaired the National Defense and Security Council, a body controlled by the military that operates as the country's top decision-making body related to national security. Despite holding the presidential title, Myint Swe’s role was largely ceremonial and procedural; Min Aung Hlaing exercised actual control over the government. Myint Swe mainly issued decrees renewing emergency powers granted to the military leader.
Myint Swe played a key role in the military and politics, participating in the arrest of family members of former dictator Ne Win in 2002 and arresting former Gen. Khin Nyunt at Yangon Airport during a 2004 power struggle inside the military.
[1] BBC News. (2021, February 2). Myanmar's acting president Myint Swe takes power after coup. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-55871513 [2] The Guardian. (2021, February 2). Myanmar coup: army seizes power, detaining Aung San Suu Kyi and president Win Myint. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/01/myanmar-coup-army-seizes-power-detaining-aung-san-suu-kyi-and-president-win-myint [3] Reuters. (2021, February 2). Myanmar coup: Min Aung Hlaing takes control, arrests de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/myanmar-coup-min-aung-hlaing-takes-control-arrests-de-facto-leader-aung-san-suu-kyi-2021-02-01/ [4] The New York Times. (2025, August 7). Myanmar’s Acting President, Myint Swe, Dies at 74. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/07/world/asia/myanmar-myint-swe-dead.html [5] The Diplomat. (2021, February 2). Myanmar’s New Acting President: Who Is Myint Swe? The Diplomat. https://thediplomat.com/2021/02/myanmars-new-acting-president-who-is-myint-swe/
- Myint Swe's death has raised questions about the capital and asset distribution in Myanmar, given his role in the military and politics, particularly during the coup in 2021.
- TheGeneral-news outlets have reported that Myint Swe's involvement in crime-and-justice matters, such as his handling of the Saffron Revolution and subsequent crackdown, will be a significant part of the political discussions and capital assessments in Myanmar's general-news coverage following his death.
