The United States demanded the release of the leaders who were arrested by the army in Myanmar in a coup d’état that took place at dawn on Monday, vowing to respond if the army refused to retreat from its steps.
The White House said in a statement, “The United States opposes any attempt to change the results of the recent elections, or to obstruct the democratic transition in Burma (Myanmar).”
The statement added, “We reiterate our strong support for democratic institutions in Myanmar. We urge the army and all other parties to adhere to democratic standards and the rule of law and release the detainees today,” warning that Washington “will take measures … if these steps are not reversed.”
For his part, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken expressed in a statement his country’s grave concern about the developments in Myanmar, and called on military leaders to release all detained officials and civil society activists, calling on the army to “immediately” retract its actions and “respect the will of the people expressed by them.” During the last democratic elections. “
The Myanmar army seized power on Monday in a coup against the Aung San Suu Kyi government, which was arrested along with other leaders of the National League for Democracy in raids during the early hours of the morning.
The army announced in a statement on its television station that it carried out arrests in response to “electoral fraud”, handed over power to Army Chief Min Aung Hlaing and imposed a state of emergency for a year.
Source: Agencies
