Myanmar's military ruler Min Aung Hlaing was elected president Friday by the country's rubber-stamp Parliament, marking the culmination of his yearslong bid to legitimize military rule. The 69-year-old general, who orchestrated the 2021 coup and oversaw a brutal crackdown that killed thousands, secured 429 of 584 votes in a preordained election.

The military staged elections in areas under its control while banning opposition parties and keeping pro-democracy leaders imprisoned. Parliament convened for the first time in five years, with the military appointing a quarter of its members. The generals have ruled Myanmar for most of the past 60 years, briefly opening to democratic reforms in 2011 before restoring military rule.

Critics say Min Aung Hlaing's ascension formalizes the same violent system that has caused immense suffering and undermined democracy. The military appointed Gen. Ye Win Oo, a former intelligence chief who oversaw torture centers, as the new military commander. Analysts expect Min Aung Hlaing to maintain centralized control through this loyalist appointment, continuing the ruthless campaign against pro-democracy rebels and ethnic armed groups who control about half the country's territory.