President Biden announced fresh sanctions on Myanmar’s military leaders on Wednesday as he unveiled Washington’s toughest response yet to last week’s coup.
“The military must relinquish power it seized and demonstrate respect for the will of the people of Burma as expressed in their Nov. 8 election,” Biden said in an address at the White House.
Myanmar’s armed forces arrested civilian leaders, including Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, on Feb. 1 as they announced a yearlong state of emergency. The army said it was forced to act because of allegations of fraud surrounding its election, claims that were dismissed by the country’s electoral commission.
“Today, I’ve approved a new executive order … enabling us to immediately sanction the military leaders who directed the coup, their business interests, as well as close family members,” Biden said.
He also said export controls would prevent Myanmar’s generals from accessing $1 billion in assets in the United States, while allowing American support for healthcare and civil society groups, and that the first round of sanction targets would be identified this week.
“The assault on Burma’s transition to democracy remains an issue of deep bipartisan concern,” Biden said, adding that he had consulted with Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell, who long has been a force on U.S. policy toward Myanmar, as well as international allies.
Protesters returned to the streets for the fifth day of demonstrations on Wednesday. A woman remains in critical condition in the hospital after being shot a day earlier when police used a water cannon, rubber bullets, and live rounds to disperse crowds.
The crisis is the first foreign policy test for Biden, who was known in former President Barack Obama’s administration for advising caution and restraint.
Last week, he set out a new posture for Washington in the world, replacing former President Donald Trump’s “America First” approach with a new reliance on partnerships and diplomacy.
“We’re a country that does big things. American diplomacy makes it happen,” he said during a visit to the State Department. “And our administration is ready to take up the mantle and lead once again.”
He is due to visit the Pentagon later on Wednesday to announce a review of the administration’s China strategy, according to the Wall Street Journal.
