Bolivia: What was the “attempted coup” condemned by President Arce after the army seized the center of La Paz and entered the government headquarters?

Los Soldiers and military vehicles took control of Plaza Murillo After a few minutes they started withdrawing.

Zúñiga had previously told the press that there was “mobilization of all military units”. Because of the “situation of the country”..

“We are listening to the people’s cry. Because for many years, an elite has taken charge of the country. The owners of the state, the saboteurs are in different structures of the state, destroying the homeland. The armed forces want to restore democracy,” he declared. Zuniga said he was demanding the release of “all political prisoners”.

Pictures on social networks later showed Quemado inside the palace standing against Ars Zunica and ordering the army to withdraw. They forced their way inside with an armored vehicle.

Later, in a televised ceremony from Casa Grande del Pueblo, the current seat of the Bolivian government, Arce appointed new military leaders who assumed overall command of the army, including General José Wilson Sánchez.

After his inauguration, the soldier declared: “Nobody wants to see the picture we see on the streets. That’s why now as commander… I ask, I command, I order, that all workers mobilized in the streets must return to their units.”.

While the event was taking place at the government headquarters, the troops massed in the center of La Paz began to leave the Plaza Murillo.

Once the troops were withdrawn, Luis Arce went out to the presidential balcony In front of a crowd he thanked the assembled citizens.

“With you, the people, we will never give up. No one can take away the democracy we won in the elections, with the blood of the Bolivian people,” Arce said.

Juan José Zúñiga was detained after the Bolivian Attorney General’s Office issued an arrest warrant against him. At the time of his arrest, Army veteran Luis Arce accused him of orchestrating the coup attempt “to raise his popularity”

“I met the president on Sunday at La Salle School and the president told me ‘the situation is very bad and this week will be important’. So I have to prepare something to boost my popularity,” Zuniga told the cameras at the time of his arrest.

He described a conversation he allegedly had with General Arce, in which he asked, “Should we take out the armored vehicles?” asked him. He replied firmly: “Take it out.” According to Zuniga, preparations began that same night to mobilize military vehicles.

Before taking him into custody, Zúñiga assured that it was a “self-coup”.

Later, authorities announced the arrest of a second person in connection with Wednesday’s events, former Bolivian Navy commander Juan Arnez Salvador.

Former President Evo Morales – leader of the movement towards the ruling Socialist Party – described what happened this Wednesday. “A Conspiracy” is going

“At this time, personnel of the armed forces and tanks are stationed in Plaza Murillo. They call an emergency meeting at 3:00 p.m. at the Military General Staff in Miraflores in combat uniform,” he wrote in X.

In particular, Juan Jose Zuniga, who was ousted as military chief on Tuesday, made statements against Morales, saying “he can no longer be the president of this country” and indicating the former president’s aspirations to run for office again.

“Wherever applicable I will not allow the Constitution to be trampled uponFor disobeying the people’s mandate,” Zúñiga said in a televised interview, vowing that the armed forces were “the people’s weapon, the country’s weapon” and threatening to arrest Morales.

Arce and Morales, who were once partners, maintain A political conflict In recent months the future of the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) party and the ex-president’s attempt to secure a new mandate.

In various public statements, Arce said he was targeting a “soft coup” that would aim to “shrink orders” and that Morales’ followers would be behind it.

In turn, the former president denounced Ars as trying to undermine his ambitions for a new presidential candidate by assuming the leadership of MAS.

Morales left power in 2019 after a military coup after the first round of presidential elections. He later fled the country with the support of Mexico, but returned once Arce regained power in MAS.

In parallel, Bolivia is facing a severe economic crisis due to fuel shortages and foreign currency shortages. This has created union mobilization, for which Arce blames Morales.

Several Latin American presidents condemned the military’s actions against the Bolivian government this Wednesday.

“We strongly condemn the coup attempt in Bolivia. Our full support and support for that people and the true democratic authority of the brother country, President Luis Alberto Arce Catacora,” the president said. Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

Gustavo PedroChairman ColombiaExpressed “total rejection of military coup in Bolivia”.

“I invite all the Bolivian people to the democratic resistance. Latin America must unite in support of democracy. The Colombian Embassy must offer shelter to the persecuted. There will be no diplomatic relations between Colombia and the dictatorship,” he added.

President of Brazil, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, He said: “Brazil’s position is clear. I am a lover of democracy and I want it to prevail throughout Latin America. We condemn any kind of coup in Bolivia and reaffirm our commitment to the people and democracy of our brother country under the leadership of Luis Arce.”

Meanwhile, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro wrote on his X account: “From Venezuela we condemn and strongly reject Attempted coup against Bolivian democracy; “Forces who betrayed the oath of allegiance besieged the presidential palace in La Paz.”

“We join the CELAC call by President Xiomara Castro to strongly condemn the fascism that seeks to destroy Bolivia’s legitimate democracy,” the president said.