NAYPYITAW, Myanmar — Myint Swe, who served as Myanmar’s acting president following a military coup more than four years ago, died on Thursday at the age of 74. His passing was confirmed by the military, which stated he succumbed to health issues at a military hospital in the capital.

Myint Swe had been in declining health and ceased participating in presidential activities about a year prior. Reports indicated he had been in critical condition since July 24 and was receiving intensive care for neurological disorders, which severely limited his daily activities, including eating.

His funeral will be conducted with state honors, although the date has yet to be announced. The military’s announcement came amid a backdrop of increasing scrutiny regarding his role in the nation’s turbulent political climate.

Assuming the presidency on February 1, 2021, Myint Swe stepped into the role after the military detained then-President Win Myint and the popular leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Myint Swe, who previously held the position of first vice president, was thrust into a leadership role that many legal experts argued lacked legitimacy, as Win Myint had neither resigned nor was incapacitated.

Despite being at the helm, Myint Swe’s presidency was constrained. He primarily fulfilled ceremonial duties, such as issuing decrees to extend states of emergency, while actual power lay firmly with Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing. The National Defense and Security Council, which Myint Swe chaired, functioned as the chief decision-making body for national security, but it operated significantly under military control.

Before his presidency, Myint Swe had a long career in military politics, serving as chief minister of Yangon, the country’s largest city. His tenure came during a fragile quasi-civilian government from 2011 to 2016. He became notable for his role in quelling the Saffron Revolution in 2007, where he oversaw a violent crackdown on Buddhist monks and civil unrest, leading to numerous deaths and arrests.

Although not widely recognized outside the nation, Myint Swe influenced pivotal moments in Myanmar’s military history. In 2002, he was involved in the arrests of family members of former dictator Ne Win, and in 2004, he apprehended former Gen. Khin Nyunt during an internal military power struggle. Following these events, he gained command of the military intelligence unit previously tied to Khin Nyunt.

Myint Swe faced international backlash after the coup. He was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department along with other military leaders for their roles in the overthrow of the democratically elected government and the subsequent arrests of political leaders.

He is survived by his wife and two children, marking the end of a controversial chapter in Myanmar’s political saga.