An attempted coup in Bolivia has been thwarted, with President Luis Arce asserting his authority over the country’s military.
Troops led by the Bolivian Army General Commander Juan Jose Zuniga stormed the presidential palace, with reports claiming that an armored vehicle was used to batter the palace’s entrance gates.
Zuniga was later arrested, and faces anywhere from 15 to 20 years of imprisonment for leading an armed uprising against the government.
President Arce declared the military’s withdrawal as a victory and addressed the country’s citizens in the aftermath, many of whom had taken to the streets to protest the coup attempt. “Long live democracy… many thanks to the Bolivian people.”
Why did the coup occur?
Since President Arce assumed office in 2020, he has been under pressure from both the political left and right. Opposition leader Luis Fernando Camacho was arrested in 2023 for helping to organize political unrest, whereas Arce’s predecessor and political mentor, former President Evo Morales has declared his intention to contest the elections against Arce in 2025.
Nationwide fuel shortages and a financial crisis that has depleted the country’s reserves have only added the Bolivia’s political troubles.
President Arce’s approval ratings have also been low, at only 38% in March 2024.
General Juan Jose Zuniga was Arce’s pick for the top job in the military, but reports suggest that his removal by Arce on Tuesday catalyzed the putsch.
How was the attempted coup stopped?
As soldiers began to occupy key public plazas in the capital La Paz, Bolivia’s largest labor union announced an indefinite strike to defend Arce’s government. Former presidents Evo Morales and Jeanine Anez both condemned the military’s advance on the presidential palace, citing a violation of democracy and the constitutional order.
The massive domestic and international condemnation and the people’s support for Arce, including from the political opposition, set up the circumstances for the coup to be foiled.
Arce appeared in a broadcast video, standing alongside all the ministers in his cabinet, declaring that “to the Bolivian people and the entire international community, our country today is facing an attempted coup d’etat… the Bolivian people are called today. We need the Bolivian people to organize and mobilize against the coup d’etat in favor of democracy.”
In another televised video, Arce can be seen telling Zuniga “I am your captain, and I order you to withdraw your soldiers, and I will not allow this insubordination.”
What is Bolivia’s history with coups?
Not great, really. Bolivia has had a troubled political history since it gained independence in 1825. It has witnessed more than 190 coup attempts since 1825, the most of any country in South America. The country has also remained trapped in a cycle of political conflict driven by rivalries among the country’s elites.
Who is President Luis Arce?
Luis Arce, 60, was elected president of Bolivia in November 2020, after his predecessor Evo Morales was forced to resign. An economist by trade, Arce was appointed finance minister by Morales in 2006.
Arce remained in his ministerial position during a decade of growth for Bolivia, but encountered a weak and stagnating economy upon taking the Presidency for himself in 2020.
Arce’s relationship with Morales has soured, as the dominant MAS (Movement for Socialism) political party they lead has fractured into two competing factions.
Who is General Juan Jose Zuniga?
General Jose Juan Zuniga was appointed general commander of the Bolivian army in November 2022, after being handpicked by Presdient Luis Arce. He is a well-known general who has served previously as the chief of the general staff, and has cultivated ties with labor unions and social movements in the Andean nation.
Zuniga has however, also been accused of wrongdoing in the past. An official military alleged that Zuniga embezzled public funds, and that the general has been involved in drug trafficking.
Former President Evo Morales has accused Zuniga of running a shadow group inside the military called the “Pachajchos,” that monitor the working of Bolivia’s coca production and have plans to eliminate political leadership if the need arises. While Zuniga has admitted to the group’s existence, he has denied Morales’ accusations.
What was the international reaction to the failed coup attempt?
Leaders from around the world chimed in on the failed coup attempt, and many expressed their support for Arce’s government. The chief of the Organization of American States (OAS) condemned the coup attempt, with the President of Mexico, Chile and Paraguay issued calls for democracy and the constitution to be respected.