Min Aung Hlaing

Min Aung Hlaing is the Senior General who led the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021, ousting the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. He is currently the head of the ruling junta. He is newsworthy because a parliament dominated by his allies has convened for the first time since the coup, following elections widely considered a 'sham' due to the exclusion of major opposition parties and ongoing civil war. The Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), backed by the military, secured a sweeping victory. This solidifies the junta's control, though its legitimacy is widely questioned. Meanwhile, the junta granted amnesty to over 7,000 prisoners convicted of 'terrorism', a designation used against pro-democracy factions. China, which had engaged with both Min Aung Hlaing and Aung San Suu Kyi before the coup, continues to navigate its relationship with Myanmar. China has also executed members of Myanmar mafia families involved in criminal activities. The National Unity Government, formed in exile as an alternative to the junta, is struggling to remain relevant.