Bolivian President announces military coup attempt
Kyiv • UNN
Bolivia is facing an attempted military coup, with armed forces occupying the central square of La Paz and demanding the resignation of President Luis Arce amid an economic crisis.
Bolivian authorities are facing an attempted military coup, President Luis Arce said on Wednesday, Reuters reported, according to UNN.
Details
According to the report, the Bolivian armed forces occupied the central square of La Paz on Wednesday, and an armored car rammed the entrance to the presidential palace. President Luis Arce declared a "coup" against the government and called for international support.
Arce condemned the mobilization of army units led by General Juan Jose Zuniga, who was recently deprived of his military command, and demanded the demobilization of the troops.
"Today the country is facing an attempted coup d'état. Today, the country is once again facing interests that want democracy in Bolivia to be interrupted," he said in his comments from the presidential palace, with armed soldiers standing outside.
General Zuniga addressed journalists in the square and spoke about the growing anger in the country, which is experiencing an economic downturn, depleting central bank reserves and pressure on the Bolivian currency due to the cessation of gas exports.
"The three commanders-in-chief of the armed forces came to express our indignation. There will be a new cabinet, of course, everything will change, but our country cannot live like this anymore," Zuniga said in an interview with a local TV channel.
"Enough to destroy, enough to impoverish our country, enough to humiliate our army," he said in full uniform, surrounded by soldiers, insisting that the actions taken were supported by the public.
The report also says that tensions in Bolivia are rising ahead of the 2025 general elections, in which leftist former president Evo Morales plans to run against former ally Arce, leading to a major split in the ruling Socialist party and wider political uncertainty. Many do not want the return of Morales, who ruled the country from 2006 until 2019, when he was ousted from power amid mass protests and replaced by a temporary conservative government. Arce then won the 2020 elections.
