LA PAZ, Bolivia — Armored vehicles rammed into the doors of Bolivia’s government palace Wednesday as a top government official warned of a coup attempt and President Luis Arce said “irregular” deployment of troops was taking place in the capital.
Video on Bolivian television showed Arce confronting the general commander of the Army, Juan José Zúñiga, in the palace hallway. “I am your captain, and I order you to withdraw your soldiers, and I will not allow this insubordination,” Arce said.
Before entering the government building, Zúñiga told journalists in the plaza: “Surely soon there will be a new Cabinet of ministers; our country, our state cannot go on like this.” Zúñiga said that “for now” he recognizes Arce as commander in chief.
In a message on his X account, Arce called for “democracy to be respected.” It came as Bolivian television showed two tanks and a number of men in military uniform in front of the government palace.
“We cannot allow, once again, coup attempts to take the lives of Bolivians,” he said from inside the palace, surrounded by government officials, in a video message sent to news outlets.
Former President Evo Morales, also in a message on X, denounced the movement of the military in the Murillo square outside the palace, calling it a coup “in the making.”
María Nela Prada, minister of the presidency and a top Bolivian official, called it an “attempted coup d’etat.”
“The people are on alert to defend democracy,” she said to local television station Red Uno.
The incident was met with a wave of outrage by other regional leaders, including the Organization of American States; Gabriel Boric, the president of neighboring Chile; Honduras’s leader, and former Bolivian leaders.
Bolivia, a country of 12 million people, has seen intensifying protests in recent months over the economy’s precipitous decline from one of the continent’s fastest-growing two decades ago to one of its most crisis-stricken.
The country also has seen a high-profile rift at the highest levels of the governing party. Arce and his one-time ally, leftist icon and former President Morales, have been battling for the future of Bolivia’s splintering Movement for Socialism, known by its Spanish acronym MAS, ahead of elections in 2025.
Bolivia is currently facing a tense situation as troops mobilize amid fears of a possible coup attempt. The South American country has been experiencing political turmoil in recent months, following the controversial resignation of former President Evo Morales in November 2019.
Morales, Bolivia’s first indigenous president, stepped down after weeks of protests and allegations of electoral fraud in the country’s presidential election. His resignation sparked a power vacuum and led to the appointment of an interim government led by Jeanine Añez.
However, tensions have continued to simmer in Bolivia, with supporters of Morales accusing the interim government of being illegitimate and calling for new elections. The situation has been further complicated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has strained the country’s healthcare system and economy.
In this volatile environment, concerns have been raised about the possibility of a coup attempt to overthrow the interim government. The mobilization of troops in response to these fears has raised alarm among many Bolivians, who fear a return to the military dictatorships that plagued the country in the past.
The international community has also expressed concern about the situation in Bolivia, with organizations such as the United Nations calling for dialogue and a peaceful resolution to the crisis. The U.S. government has urged all parties to respect democratic norms and refrain from violence.
As tensions continue to escalate in Bolivia, it is crucial for all parties to prioritize dialogue and negotiation in order to avoid further instability and violence. The country’s future hangs in the balance, and it is imperative that all efforts be made to uphold democratic principles and ensure a peaceful transition of power.
