Bolivian President Luis Arce successfully foiled a coup attempt led by the nation’s former Army Chief, General Juan José Zúñiga, a day after his dismissal. The attempted coup, which took place on Wednesday, has further destabilized the already tense political climate in Bolivia.
The crisis erupted when breakaway military chiefs stormed the presidential palace in La Paz with soldiers and tanks, aiming to overthrow the government. The leader of the coup, General Zúñiga, claimed that his actions were motivated by a desire to “restructure democracy” in Bolivia.
President Arce, addressing the nation following the incident, condemned the coup attempt and reaffirmed his commitment to maintaining order and democratic governance. “This is a direct attack on our democracy and the will of the Bolivian people,” Arce stated. “We will not tolerate such actions and will ensure that those responsible face justice.”
President Arce said “we cannot allow once again coup attempts to take Bolivian lies”. He called and urged citizens to “organize and mobilize” in defense of democracy.
The coup attempt has drawn significant attention from the international community, with various governments and organizations expressing concern over the stability of Bolivia’s democracy.
The organization of American States (OAS) has also condemn the troop movement against the government. Secretary general Luis Almagro said “The international community, the general secretariat of the OAS will not tolerate any form of breach of the legitimate constitutional order in Bolivia or anywhere else”.
President Arce’s loyal security forces managed to suppress the coup attempt and arrested General Zúñiga. He is now under criminal investigation, along with several co-conspirators who aided in the coup effort.