Soldiers storm the central square of La Paz, armored cars ram the gates of the government palace: Bolivia is on the brink of a national crisis for a few hours, but then the leader of the coup is arrested. What was the point of all this?
The situation in Bolivia is tense ahead of the presidential elections. In the middle of the election campaign, a general is rehearsing a revolt – but without success. Why did he do that? And what does that mean for the government? Answers to the most important questions:
What happened?
On Wednesday, soldiers drove up in front of the presidential palace in La Paz with tanks, as journalists from the news agency AFP reported. They tried to break open a metal gate of the palace with a tank.
President Luis Arce and a renegade general had just come face to face in the corridors of the Quemado government palace. “Withdraw all soldiers. That is an order,” shouted the president. “Are you not going to obey me?” AFP reporters later saw the soldiers withdraw.
Who is behind the coup?
Army Chief General Juan José Zúñiga Macías was responsible. He was arrested in La Paz that same evening, local media reported. The Attorney General’s Office has launched an investigation against the officer and his co-conspirators. Zúñiga is accused of terrorism and armed rebellion against the security and sovereignty of the state.
In a statement to the media, Zúñiga suggested that the coup had been coordinated with President Arce. “The president told me that the situation is very bad. It is necessary to prepare something to increase his popularity,” General Zúñiga said on television before his arrest. “I asked him: ‘Are we going to get the tanks out?’ And he replied: ‘Get them out.'”
Are there victims?
According to Interior Minister Eduardo del Castillo, nine people were injured in the failed coup attempt.
How did Bolivia’s government react?
Shortly after their confrontation, President Luis Arce removed the army chief from office and replaced the entire leadership of the armed forces. The new military commander, José Wilson Sánchez, was sworn in at the presidential palace. He called for the restoration of peace and order. “I order that all forces mobilized on the streets return to their units,” said Sánchez, adding: “We ask that the blood of our soldiers not be shed.” The new heads of the armed forces then ordered the withdrawal of troops from the city center of the government seat of La Paz. “I thank the Bolivian people,” Arce shouted from the balcony of the government palace, surrounded by his ministers.
“We condemn the irregular mobilizations of some units of the Bolivian army. Democracy must be respected,” wrote Bolivia’s President Luis Arce on the news platform X. “We cannot allow coup attempts.”
“We are convinced that democracy is the only way to resolve differences and that institutions and the rule of law must be respected,” Morales continued. “We reiterate our demand that all those involved in this crime must be arrested and brought to justice.
Who was the coup directed against?
Tensions in Bolivia have escalated ahead of the 2025 parliamentary elections. The general apparently wanted to prevent the former head of state Evo Morales (2006-2019) from taking office with the failed coup. The left-wing ex-president plans to run against his former ally Arce, which is causing a deep rift in the ruling socialist party and greater political uncertainty. The left-wing head of state resigned in 2019 under pressure from the military after the opposition and international election observers accused him of fraud in the presidential election.
Following a series of court decisions, the country’s first indigenous president is not allowed to run for another term. The former coca farmer still wants to run in next year’s presidential election. Morales and the incumbent head of state Arce are currently fighting for the leadership role in their party MAS.
How often does the military in Latin America become rebellious?
In Latin America, the armed forces stage coups from time to time. In the 1970s and 1980s in particular, many countries in the region were ruled by military juntas. In Argentina, Chile and Brazil, tens of thousands of people fell victim to their tyranny.
How did neighboring countries and other states react?
Several Latin American presidents rejected the military’s move. “We condemn any form of coup in Bolivia and reaffirm our commitment to the people and democracy in our sister country,” said Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Chile’s President Gabriel Boric wrote on the news platform X: “We cannot tolerate any violation of the legitimate constitutional order in Bolivia or anywhere else.”
The President of HondurasXiomara Castro, said: “The armed forces have once again carried out a criminal coup.” She called on the members of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) to condemn the fascism that has attacked democracy in Bolivia.
The President of ParaguaySantiago Pena, called for respect for democracy and the rule of law. His colleague in Chile, Gabriel Boric, expressed concern. A violation of the constitutional order must not be tolerated. “We condemn the attempted coup in Bolivia in the strongest possible terms. We fully support President Luis Alberto Arce Catacora,” declared Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador at X.
Also President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen sharply criticized the attempted coup in Bolivia. “I firmly condemn the attempts to overthrow the democratically elected government of Bolivia,” von der Leyen wrote late Wednesday evening on Platform X. The European Union stands on the side of democracies.
The United Nations expressed concern about the events in Bolivia. “We call on Bolivian society, including the armed forces, to behave responsibly and uphold democratic values,” said a UN statement.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
