US President Joseph Biden threatened today to impose new sanctions on Myanmar after the military staged a coup and arrested top government officials.
Biden said the military takeover, the arrest of Prime Minister Aung San Suu Kyi and other officials, and the declaration of a state of emergency were "a direct attack on Myanmar's transition to democracy and the rule of law," according to the Associated Press.
"In a democracy, force should never seek to override the will of the people or try to overturn the outcome of credible elections. The people of Myanmar have worked for almost ten years to establish elections, a civilian government and a peaceful transfer of power. That progress should be respected," said Biden.
He reminded that the US lifted sanctions on Myanmar after the introduction of democracy in that country, but added that they would not hesitate to re-introduce them.
"Undoing progress will require an urgent assessment of our sanctions laws followed by appropriate action. The US will defend democracy wherever it is attacked," Biden added.
Myanmar, also known as Burma, has been a kind of US democracy promotion project for decades, although recently there have been serious concerns about the country's slide into authoritarianism.
The military took power early this morning after the arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi and other democratically elected leaders.
The army, which declared a one-year state of emergency today, is patrolling the streets, and a night curfew is currently in effect, according to the BBC.
Myanmar was ruled by the military until 2011, when democratic reforms led by Aung San Suu Kyi were implemented.
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