Min Aung Hlaing said November’s election, won in a landslide by the party of detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, had been unfair.
The military has begun to impose restrictions in some areas, including curfews and limits to gatherings.
Huge protests were held on Monday for a third straight day, along with a nationwide strike, to oppose the coup.
By Monday morning, tens of thousands of people had gathered in Nay Pyi Taw for the strike, with other cities such as Mandalay and Yangon also reporting significant numbers, according to BBC Burmese. The protesters include teachers, lawyers, bank officers and government workers.
One demonstrating doctor – who did not want to be named – told the BBC: “Today, we, professionals – especially civil servant professionals such as doctors, engineers and teachers – came out to show that we are all together in this. Our objective is the same – to make the dictatorship fall.”
Online there had been calls asking workers to skip work to protest. “This is a work day, but we aren’t going to work even if our salary will be cut,” one protester, 28-year-old garment factory worker, Hnin Thazin, told news agency AFP.
Another protester, Hnin Hayman Soe, told the BBC she had joined the protest alongside her children, nieces and nephews. “We can see many young people can’t accept the military junta. We can even see teenagers here,” she said.
One demonstrating doctor – who did not want to be named – told the BBC: “Today, we, professionals – especially civil servant professionals such as doctors, engineers and teachers – came out to show that we are all together in this. Our objective is the same – to make the dictatorship fall.”
Online there had been calls asking workers to skip work to protest. “This is a work day, but we aren’t going to work even if our salary will be cut,” one protester, 28-year-old garment factory worker, Hnin Thazin, told news agency AFP.
Another protester, Hnin Hayman Soe, told the BBC she had joined the protest alongside her children, nieces and nephews. “We can see many young people can’t accept the military junta. We can even see teenagers here,” she said.
