The coup staged by Myanmar's military against a democratically elected government on Monday quickly drew concern and rebukes from other countries, leaving Myanmar at risk of returning to the isolation it faced before its transition to civilian rule a decade ago.
The power grab was likely the result of a realization within the military that it is nearly impossible for it to come to power through an electoral process, following a dismal showing by the military-backed main opposition party in last November's general election.
The National League for Democracy, led by the country's popular de-facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, won the election decisively, allowing the party to retain power, which it had captured at the previous general election in 2015.
Suu Kyi was supposed to form a new government after parliament was convened Monday for the first time since the November election.
But the coup upended it. The military, alleging widespread election fraud, said its commander in chief Min Aung Hlaing will stay in power for a year during which a state of emergency will be in effect. Meanwhile, Suu Kyi and other senior party officials were detained, according to a party spokesman.
After decades of military rule, marked by isolation from the rest of the world, Myanmar transitioned to civilian rule in 2011, albeit through a party led by a group of retired army generals.
In the 2015 election, Suu Kyi's then opposition NLD scored a landslide victory, leading to the launch of a Suu Kyi-led government the following year.
While Suu Kyi made reconciliation with the country's ethnic minorities the centerpiece of her governing agenda, she made little progress. Her election pledge to revise the junta-drafted 2008 Constitution, which ensures the military's continued influence in government, met a similar fate.
Before the November poll, it was widely thought the NLD would lose seats, but the party went on to gain seats, ultimately capturing more than 80 percent of those contested.
Observers point to a pressure campaign waged by the military prior to the election as likely having helped the NLD.
The military claimed then that the government had mishandled advance voting, while the military-backed opposition party called for a postponement of the election.
Alarmed by the military's action, Myanmar voters are said to have taken to the polls in large numbers.
With bitter memories of oppression during military rule, many Myanmar people harbor a deep-seated distrust of the armed forces.
Even after Myanmar transitioned to civilian rule, the military continues to have a large sway over the government. It effectively has a veto over constitutional changes as well as authority to appoint security-related ministers.
Military-run Myanmar could now face sanctions by the United States and other Western countries over the coup and the detention of Suu Kyi and other figures.
Related coverage:
Myanmar military seizes power in coup, declares state of emergency
Surprise, worry grip Japan's Myanmar community with Suu Kyi detention
Japan expresses concerns over Myanmar, urges Suu Kyi's release
