Myanmar’s acting president, retired General Myint Swe, died early Thursday at a military hospital in Naypyitaw, the state broadcaster MRTV said. He was 74 and had suffered from Parkinson’s disease and related neurological disorders, remaining on medical leave for more than a year. Myint Swe assumed the presidency on Feb. 1, 2021, when the army detained elected leaders including President Win Myint and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. His elevation, mandated under the 2008 constitution because he was first vice-president, allowed the National Defense and Security Council to declare a state of emergency and transfer power to armed-forces chief Min Aung Hlaing. The United States sanctioned Myint Swe for his role in the coup. Although nominally head of state, Myint Swe functioned largely as a rubber stamp for the junta’s decrees. He delegated his duties to Min Aung Hlaing in July 2024 after his health deteriorated. His death coincides with the military’s recent pledge to install a civilian-led interim administration ahead of elections planned for later this year, leaving questions about the constitutional line of succession and the junta’s timeline for restoring civilian rule.