cnn
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Bolivian President Luis Arce attempted a short-lived coup on Wednesday, after which he called on the family to “organize and mobilize” to defend freedom, as foot soldiers and armored army vehicles descended on L.A. Climate withdrew from government structures. Paz.
Bolivia has a long history of political instability, including military coups, and the failed takeover comes as the South American country of about 12 million grapples with a rapidly growing economic crisis that sparked mass protests. Is.
“We cannot once again allow coup attempts to take the lives of Bolivians,” Arce said from Casa Grande, the presidential residence, as coup attempts were underway. “We want to urge everyone to defend democracy.”
In dramatic scenes broadcast on Bolivian TV, Arce can be seen confronting General Juan Jose Zuniga, the former army chief who led the coup, as he storms the corridors of the presidential palace.
According to the associated press, Arce told Zuniga, “I am your captain, and I order you to withdraw your troops, and I will not allow this disobedience.”
According to local media, Zuniga, who had been removed as commander of the Bolivian army only a year earlier, was roughly detained and possibly forced into a police vehicle. The whereabouts of his wave are unknown.
Bolivia’s Defense Minister Edmundo Novillo told a news conference late Wednesday that the military was “under control.”
“We now have complete and total control over our armed forces. Now everything is under control. We urge the population to let everything return to normal,” he said, according to state-run Bolivia TV.
The attempted coup was widely condemned by the Bolivian government and world leaders. Bolivia’s Attorney General’s office said it has announced a legal investigation against Zuniga and “all other participants” involved in the incident.
Bolivia’s unedited political showdown comes as tensions rise over leftist former President Evo Morales’ plans to run for re-election in upcoming elections against Arce, his one-time best friend.
Meanwhile, the country is grappling with depleting foreign exchange reserves, especially the US dollar, and financial overhang due to shortages of gas and alternative basic necessities.
Last Wednesday, photos from the scene showed armed infantrymen in L.A. The major intersection of Murillo Plaza was captured. Paz The place where the national government and legislative offices are located.
According to the Associated Press, armored vehicles could be seen ramming the doors of Bolivia’s government palace as former President Morales, a member of Arce’s Motion to Socialism (MAS) party, called it a “coup”. ” Is. It is cooking.”
The video also shows some civilians confronting foot soldiers in Murillo Plaza during the coup.
Before his detention, former army chief Zuniga addressed reporters accompanied by foot soldiers in the square on Wednesday, saying, “We want to restore democracy,” as he talked about the country’s economic problems. He was previously removed for allegedly threatening to block Morales’ bid for re-election.
“The people have no future and the Army has the courage to take care of the future of our children, the well-being and progress of our people,” he said.
He vowed to “free all political prisoners”, including former President Jeanine Anez, who was recently jailed for her role in deadly protests that broke out after he came to power in 2019.
Amid the chaos, President Arce introduced new military commanders, including General José Sánchez, Zúñiga’s replacement as military chief of staff.
The situation is believed to have calmed down when Sanchez ordered the warriors of the square to return to their equipment.
“I order all personnel deployed on the road to return to their units,” Sanchez said from the podium at the presidential palace.
According to images from Bolivian TV, armed cars were seen leaving Murillo Plaza immediately. Arce also announced new chiefs of Army and Air Force.
CNN is attempting to contact the Bolivian government for comment.
Morales, who publicly split from his former best friend Arce, resigned from the presidency in 2019 following growing protests over allegations of electoral fraud; On this occasion, he claimed that he had been pressured into carrying out a coup.
Before his dismissal, former military chief Zúñiga reportedly said that Morales should no longer be able to return as president, and threatened to disbar him if that happened.
Gustavo A., teacher of government and family coverage at Cornell College. Flores-Macias told CNN the coup attempt reflected popular discontent in the country.
“What is happening in Bolivia is that broad sectors of society, people from all social levels, are very unhappy with the way things are, especially on the economic front. And, we are going to have elections in 2025,” he said.
In that election, Arce and Morales “seemed to be on this collision course. “They’re both trying to be the next president,” he said.
Bolivia’s Attorney General’s Office announced a legal investigation against Zuniga on Wednesday, with the Prosecutor’s Office announcing on X that “all other participants” in the L.A. were involved in Wednesday’s incidents. Paz will also be investigated.
The Office of the Legal Professional General said it would make “all necessary efforts” to locate all individuals involved and conduct additional investigations into the coup attempt and impose “maximum punishment on those found guilty”.
Freddy Mamani, Bolivia’s former deputy foreign minister and best friend of Morales and Arce, told CNN that despite the tanks, uniformed soldiers and “undemocratic” nature of the occupation of the square… it is important to highlight that the Bolivian people Let us also unite against the coup.”
News of the coup attempt was widely condemned by world and regional leaders, including Paraguay’s President Santiago Peña, Mexico’s President and the European Union.
“We express our support for democracy in our brother country and for the legitimate government of Luis Arce,” Chilean President Gabriel Boric said on Twitter.
L.A. United States Embassy in. Plaz said he was “following the situation closely.”
An embassy comment on X said, “We reject any attempt to overthrow the elected government and demand respect for the constitutional order.”
Luis Almagro, Secretary-General of the Pan-American Group of American States (OAS), condemned the mobilization at X “in the most energetic manner”, and declared that “the military must submit to the legitimately elected civilian power.”
The EU expressed its opposition to “any attempts to disrupt the constitutional order in Bolivia and overthrow the democratically elected government”, adding that it stands in solidarity with the Bolivian government and its people. According to a post by European policy chief Josep Borrell.
This story has been updated with supplemental features.
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