2024-07-04 04:59:41
Photo credit: Radoslaw Czajkowski | Shutterstock
Text: Hugo Leon
On Wednesday afternoon, Bolivian President Luis Arce denounced “irregular movements by the army,” referring to soldiers who took over Plaza Murillo in La Paz, where the nation’s government headquarters is located. Shortly after, a source from the army itself confirmed that it was a coup d’état.
The Commander General of the Army, Juan José Zúñiga, declared that there will be a new cabinet and that “the country cannot continue like this.”
At around 3 p.m., an army tank rammed the door of the Bolivian Presidential Palace and the armed forces surrounded the Government Palace in Plaza Murillo. President Luis Arce was in the latter location, according to CNN Chile.
Arce asked that “democracy must be respected,” and from the social network X (formerly Twitter) former president Evo Morales called on the people to take to the streets to defend the government.
“We call for a national mobilization to defend democracy against the coup d’état,” he wrote.
“We declare an indefinite general strike and road blockades. We will not allow the Armed Forces to violate democracy and intimidate the people,” he added a few minutes after 3:00 pm.
For his part, Arce assured that he would appease “unconstitutional appetites” and, in calling for the mobilization of the people, said that the return of coup attempts could not be allowed.
The military is led by General Juan José Zúñiga, who was allegedly relieved of his post as commander general of the Army yesterday, June 25, after controversial statements against Evo Morales.
The precedent
On Monday, General Zúñiga publicly declared that Evo Morales can no longer be a candidate and that the army, the armed wing of the people, is willing to arrest him so that he can be a candidate.
The commander said in an interview that Evo was legally ineligible for another term, and that the army has the mission of enforcing the Constitution. When asked “how would they defend it,” his answer was “with all the tools and instruments that the Political Constitution of the Nation grants us.”
To understand the coup, one must also remember that the country is suffering an economic crisis, with unprecedented shortages of dollars and fuel, while left-wing voters are divided between “arcistas” and “evistas” and the opposition considers that any attempt to extend Arce’s mandate or to bring back Evo Morales is also a blow to democracy.
On the other hand, the Legislative Assembly, currently with an opposition majority, is paralyzed by the intervention of the judicial body and because the president of the assembly and Bolivian vice president, David Choquehuanca, suspended its sessions.
The coup in Bolivia, latest news
At around 4:00 pm, Bolivian soldiers set up barricades to block the roads to Plaza Murillo and General Zúñiga announced that he would release all political prisoners, including Luis Fernando Camacho and Jeanine Añez and the generals and military personnel, and all those who are in prison for raising their voices.
“We are listening to the clamor of the people, because for many years an elite has taken charge of the country and they have been the owners of the State,” declared the coup general in the streets.
He also referred to the crisis in Bolivia and said that “the Armed Forces intend to restructure democracy, so that it is a true democracy, not of a few, not of a few owners who have been running the country for years.” “We want to reestablish democracy,” he said.
“Look where they have taken us, and the army does not lack co… to watch over the future of our children, for the well-being and progress of our people,” he emphasized.
Meanwhile, Bolivian President Luis Arce directly and personally ordered Zúñiga to withdraw the soldiers. Shortly afterwards the government announced new military commanders in the armed forces.
At around 5:20 pm, José Wilson Sánchez, Bolivia’s newly appointed military chief, was sworn into his new post. He ordered military units in the capital to return to barracks after the coup attempt.
According to local media reports, the military was withdrawing around 6pm, which could be the end of the coup attempt.