LA PAZ, Bolivia: Bolivia’s army chief was arrested Wednesday after sending troops and tanks to take up position in front of government buildings in what President Luis Arce called an attempted coup. Surrounded by troops and tanks, the now-sacked General Juan Jose Zuniga said the “armed forces intend to reforms democracy, to make it a true democracy and not one run by the same controversial leaders for 30, 40 years.” Bolivian police have apprehended the leader of the coup, hours following the presidential palace in the capital La Paz was stormed by soldiers. Shortly thereafter, reporters saw soldiers and tanks pulling back from government buildings. The rebel General in charge, Gen Juan José Zúñiga, claimed that he wanted to restructure democracy in the country. However, he has been arrested by the police. President Arce denounced the military coup attempt, calling on the public to “organize and mobilize in support of democracy”.
“We cannot permit once again coup attempts to take lives of our people,” the President said in a televised message to the nation from inside the presidential palace. Arce said that he was appointing new military leadership, confirming reports that Gen Zuniga had been dismissed from his position following publicly criticizing Bolivia’s ex-leader, Evo Morales. Morales also denounced the coup attempt and called for criminal charges to be brought against the General and his “accomplices”. Reports suggest that the public prosecutor’s office has started a criminal investigation after the development.
Right before he was arrested, General Zuniga told media that it was actually the president Luis Arce who told him to stage an uprising, thus triggering a crackdown that would make him look strong and support his drooping approval rating. Former president Evo Morales wrote on social media that “a coup d’etat is brewing” and also pressed a “national mobilization to protect democracy.”
Zuniga’s Anti-democratic Remarks
Bolivia is deeply polarized country after years of political uncertainty and the ruling Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) is divided by internal dispute between supporters of President Luis and his former president mentor Morales.
Morales, who was Bolivia’s first native president, was tremendously famous until he tried to bypass the constitution and seek a fourth term in office in 2019. The leftist and previous coca union head won that poll but was forced to quit amid deadly demonstration over suspicious election fraud, and fled the country. He restored after Arce won the presidency in October 2020. Since then, a power struggle has grown between the two men, and Morales has strongly criticized the government and blamed it of corruption, bearing drug trafficking, and sidelining him politically.
Six months ago, the Court disqualified Morales from the 2025 elections, however he is still looking for nomination as the MAS candidate. Earlier, General Zuniga appeared on television on Monday and said he would arrest Morales if he insisted on running for office again in 2025. “He is ineligible as per law, that man cannot be president of Bolivia again,” he said. Since the General’s interview, rumors have swirled that Zuniga was on the verge of being dismissed.
Calls for Calm
Biden’s administration said it is keeping a close eye on events in Bolivia and “calls for calm,” according to a spokesperson for the National Security Council. Criticism on the forces’ movements also poured in from across Latin America, with leaders of Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Mexico, Colombia and Venezuela calling for democracy to be respected.
Brazil’s President wrote on social media: “I am a lover of democracy and I want it to prevail throughout Latin America. We reject any form of coup d’etat in Bolivia.” Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday requested for “respect of democracy and the rule of law,” in a message on social media.
The Organization of American States (OAS) said the global community would “not accept any form of breach of the lawful constitutional order in Bolivia.”
