Bolivia: The coup attempt failed after President Luis Arce called on the country to mobilize in defense of democracy

CNN
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Bolivian President Luis Arce thwarted a short-lived coup attempt on Wednesday, calling on the public to “organize and mobilize” in defense of democracy as soldiers and armored vehicles withdrew from surrounding government buildings in La Paz.

Bolivia has a long history of political instability, including military coups, and the failed takeover comes as the landlocked South American nation of about 12 million people grapples with an escalating economic crisis that has sparked street protests.

“We cannot allow coup attempts to take the lives of Bolivians again,” Arce said from the presidential residence, Casa Grande, as the coup attempt began. “We want to urge everyone to stand up for democracy.”

In dramatic scenes broadcast on Bolivian television, Arce could be seen confronting former army chief General Juan José Zuniga, who led the coup attempt, as he stormed the entrance to the presidential palace.

“I am your commander, I am ordering you to withdraw your soldiers, and I will not allow this disobedience,” Arce told Zuniga, according to the Associated Press.

Local media reported that Zuniga, who had been dismissed from his position as Bolivian army commander just a day earlier, was later arrested and seen being forced into a police car. His whereabouts are currently unknown.

Late Wednesday, Bolivian Defense Minister Edmundo Novello told a news conference that the armed forces were “under control.”

He added: “We now have complete and absolute control over our armed forces. Everything is under control now. “We urge the population to return everything to normal,” he said, according to what was reported by Bolivia’s state-run television.

The Bolivian government and international leaders widely condemned the coup attempt. Bolivia’s Attorney General’s Office said it had launched a criminal investigation against Zuniga and “all other participants” involved in the incident.

The latest political confrontation in Bolivia comes as tensions rise over former leftist President Evo Morales’ plans to run for re-election against his former ally Arce in next year’s general elections.

At the same time, the country is facing an economic crisis represented by dwindling foreign currency reserves, especially the US dollar, and shortages of fuel and other basic necessities.

Earlier on Wednesday, footage from the scene showed armed soldiers occupying Murillo Plaza, a main square in La Paz where the national executive and legislative offices are located.

Armored vehicles were seen storming the doors of the government palace in Bolivia, according to the Associated Press, where former President Morales, a member of Arce’s Movement for Socialism (MAS) party, said on Channel X that a “coup is looming on the horizon.” “.

The video also showed some civilians confronting soldiers in Piazza Murillo during the coup attempt.

Before his arrest, former army chief Zuniga addressed reporters in the square on Wednesday, surrounded by soldiers, saying: “We want to restore democracy,” while speaking about the economic problems plaguing the country. He had previously been fired for threatening to prevent Morales from being re-elected.

He said: “The people have no future, and the army has the courage to look forward to the future of our children and the well-being and progress of our people.”

He pledged to “release all political prisoners” including former President Jeanine Anez, currently imprisoned for what courts said was her role in the bloody protests that erupted after she came to power in 2019.

Amid this chaos, President Arce announced new military leaders, including General José Sánchez who replaced Zuniga as army commander.

The situation appeared to have been defused when Sanchez ordered the soldiers on the ground to return to their units.

“I order all personnel who were mobilized in the street to return to their units,” Sanchez said from a podium in the presidential palace to cheers and applause.

Armed vehicles were seen leaving Murillo Plaza shortly after, according to footage broadcast on Bolivia television. Ars also announced new commanders for the Navy and Air Force.

CNN is trying to contact the Bolivia government for comment.

Morales, who publicly broke with his former ally Arce, resigned from his position as president in 2019 after protests escalated over accusations of election fraud; He claimed at the time that he had been forced to step down in a coup.

Before his dismissal, former army chief Zuniga reportedly said that Morales should not be able to return as president, and threatened to block him if that happened.

Gustavo A. said: Flores Macias, a professor of government and public policy at Cornell University, told CNN that the attempted coup reflects widespread discontent in the country.

“What is happening in Bolivia is that large segments of society, across social classes, at all levels, are very dissatisfied with the way things are going, especially on the economic front. And we have elections coming up in 2025.”

In that election, Arce and Morales “seemed to be on this collision course. He added that they both aspire to become the next president.

Bolivia’s Attorney General’s Office launched a criminal investigation against Zuniga later on Wednesday, with the X Attorney’s Office saying that “all other participants” involved in Wednesday’s events in La Paz would also be investigated.

The Public Prosecution said it would make “all necessary efforts” to identify all people involved, continue the investigation into the coup attempt, and impose “the maximum punishment on those responsible.”

Freddy Mamani, Bolivia’s former deputy foreign minister and an ally of Morales and Arce, told CNN that despite the “undemocratic” nature of “tanks and uniformed soldiers seizing the square… it is necessary to highlight that the Bolivian people are united against any… coup”.

News of the coup attempt was met with strong condemnation by international and regional leaders, including Paraguayan President Santiago Peña, the President of Mexico, and the European Union.

Chilean President Gabriel Porich said on the X program: “We express our support for democracy in our brotherly country and for the legitimate government of Luis Arce.”

The US Embassy in La Plaz said it was “closely monitoring the situation.”

An embassy statement on Channel X said: “We reject any attempt to overthrow the elected government and demand respect for the constitutional order.”

The Secretary-General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, condemned the mobilizations “in the most active way” on X Day, saying: “The army must submit to legitimately elected civilian authority.”

The European Union said it opposes “any attempt to disrupt Bolivia’s constitutional order and overthrow democratically elected governments,” adding that it stands in solidarity with the Bolivian government and its people, according to a post from European policy chief Josep Borrell on the X website.

This story has been updated with additional developments.