Biden Threatens Myanmar Coup Leaders With Renewed Sanctions

President Joe Biden said the U.S. could reinstate sanctions on Myanmar if the Southeast Asian country’s military doesn’t “immediately relinquish the power they have seized” in a coup and release activists and officials.

“The United States removed sanctions on Burma over the past decade based on progress toward democracy,” Biden said Monday in a statement. “The reversal of that progress will necessitate an immediate review of our sanction laws and authorities, followed by appropriate action.”

The coup in Myanmar, previously known as Burma, could prove to be an early test case of the Biden administration’s vow to defend democracy “wherever it is under attack,” as the president’s statement said. If carried out, the policy would represent an abrupt shift from the Trump administration, which often muted traditional criticism of authoritarian governments.

It’s not clear how much impact the threat of U.S. sanctions would have on Myanmar’s military leaders. The country has seen limited U.S. investment despite a nascent opening to democracy over the past decade, partly because of the government’s persecution of minority Rohingya Muslims. The military can also likely count on support from China, which is a bigger player in the nation.