NUG Rejects Min Aung Hlaing's Presidency — ASEAN Normalization Signaling Begins

On April 11, NUG spokesperson Nay Phone Latt issued a clear rejection of Min Aung Hlaing's April 10 presidential inauguration: 'The Myanmar people do not accept it. The revolution will continue with great momentum.' The NUG characterized the presidency as proof that diplomatic hopes for a political transition from the junta were illusory, noting that Min Aung Hlaing's inaugural address revived the original fraudulent election claim as justification for the 2021 coup. On April 11, Min Aung Hlaing received delegations from Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Nicaragua — reflecting ASEAN members' inclination toward normalization with the junta's new nominal civilian government. At the UN Disarmament Commission, Myanmar's NUG-aligned UN Ambassador U Kyaw Moe Tun urged member states to 'cut off the flow of weapons, jet fuel, dual-use civilian-military goods, and technologies to the terrorist military group.' The inauguration ceremony on April 10 was attended by 26 ambassadors from 23 countries, with prominent delegations from Russia, China, Thailand, and India — while the US, EU, UK, and most democracies boycotted and condemned the proceedings. Foreign Policy analysts noted the transition would accelerate ASEAN renormalization efforts by Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam.