Thursday, June 27, 2024

VIDEOS: Bolivia Coup Attempt Thwarted by President Arce's Supporters


 In a dramatic coup attempt on Wednesday, a top Bolivian general vowed to “restore democracy” and ordered armored vehicles to storm the doors of Bolivia’s government palace. The effort was swiftly rebuffed as supporters of President Luis Arce mobilized and drove the soldiers away.

Shortly after the troops took control of the presidential palace, President Arce responded by appointing a new army commander who ordered the soldiers to stand down. Hundreds of Arce's supporters then gathered outside the palace, waving Bolivian flags, singing the national anthem, and cheering as the soldiers retreated.



The army chief, Gen. Juan José Zúñiga, was arrested, and the attorney general launched an investigation into the rebellion. Government Minister Eduardo del Castillo announced that, in addition to Zúñiga, former navy Vice Adm. Juan Arnez Salvador was also detained. "The goal was to overthrow the democratically elected authority," del Castillo stated during a press conference.



Defense Minister Edmundo Novillo later declared that "everything is now under control." Surrounded by newly appointed military leaders, Novillo asserted that Bolivia had experienced a "failed coup."



The coup attempt unfolded amidst ongoing political tensions between President Arce and his former ally, ex-president Evo Morales, over control of the ruling party. The crisis began in the early afternoon when soldiers started appearing on the streets of La Paz. Arce tweeted that the troop deployment was irregular, warning of an attempted coup. Despite the situation, even Arce's political rivals rejected the uprising.

In a surprising twist, General Zúñiga claimed before his arrest that President Arce had instructed him to storm the palace as a political maneuver. "The president told me: ‘The situation is very screwed up, very critical. It is necessary to prepare something to raise my popularity’," Zúñiga alleged. He claimed that Arce approved the deployment of armored vehicles.

Justice Minister Iván Lima denied Zúñiga’s allegations, asserting that the general was lying to justify his actions. Lima stated that prosecutors would seek the maximum sentence of 15 to 20 years in prison for Zúñiga "for attacking democracy and the Constitution."

Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)