US President Joe Biden, during a speech at the State Department on Thursday, February 4, called on the Myanmar military to leave power and release the detained officials and activists.
“The Myanmar military must leave the seized power, release the activists, lawyers and officials they have detained, lift restrictions on telecommunications and refrain from violence,” he said during a speech broadcast on Twitter Department of State.
According to Biden, he has already discussed the situation in Myanmar with US allies, as well as with Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell. They all agreed that the seizure of power and an attempt to revise the results of the elections, which were held in the country in accordance with the law, are unacceptable.
“We will work with partners to support democracy and the rule of law and introduce measures against those responsible,” he stressed.
Earlier, Biden had already called on the international community to put pressure on the military who seized power in Myanmar. According to the head of the United States, they “overthrew and undermined democracy.”
The head of the White House recalled that the United States lifted sanctions against Myanmar in connection with the progress in the transition of the state to democracy, but the loss of this progress will force the United States to reconsider this decision and take appropriate measures.
On February 1, the military in Myanmar detained President Vin Myin and State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi. The move comes after days of escalating tensions between the government and the military, who claim the country’s November 8 elections were fraudulent.
As a result, the Myanmar military declared a state of emergency in the country for a period of one year after the detention of the leaders of the state.