WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden is threatening to slap new sanctions on Myanmar after a coup that saw the military arrest the civilian leaders of its government.
Myanmar, also known as Burma, has been a U.S. democracy promotion project for decades, though there have been recent and serious concerns about its backsliding into authoritarianism.
Disappointment with former opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyii, who has been detained by the military, has run high. “The military’s seizure of power in Burma, the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi and other civilian officials, and the declaration of a national state of emergency are a direct assault on the country’s transition to democracy and the rule of law," Biden said in a statement. “In a democracy,