In a dramatic turn of events on Wednesday, two senior Bolivian military officials were detained after soldiers and tanks surrounded government buildings in an attempted coup, as described by President Luis Arce.
The incident unfolded in Plaza Murillo, a historic square housing the presidency and Congress, when troops and tanks appeared, igniting global condemnation as an assault on Bolivian democracy. One tank even attempted to breach the presidential palace’s metal door.
General Juan Jose Zuniga, the now-dismissed army chief, declared the armed forces’ intention to “restructure democracy” during a tense standoff surrounded by soldiers and tanks. The rebellion, which lasted approximately five hours, saw troops and tanks retreating from the square shortly after.
Zuniga was later apprehended outside a military barracks, with state television capturing the moment Deputy Interior Minister Jhonny Aguilera informed him of his arrest. The head of the Bolivian navy, Juan Arnez Salvador, was also arrested later that evening. Interior Minister Eduardo del Castillo announced the arrests, denouncing both men as “military coup leaders” who attempted to dismantle democracy.
Addressing supporters from the government palace balcony, President Arce reaffirmed the country’s commitment to democracy, urging Bolivians to mobilize against the coup. He dismissed the implicated military leaders and appointed new officials.
Zuniga, prior to his arrest, accused President Arce of orchestrating the coup to bolster his declining approval ratings. He claimed Arce had instructed him to stage an uprising during a meeting on Sunday. Former President Evo Morales, a key figure in Bolivian politics, took to social media to warn of a brewing coup and called for national mobilization to defend democracy.
The attempted coup highlights the deep political divisions within Bolivia, exacerbated by the ongoing power struggle between President Arce and Morales. Morales, who fled the country after resigning amid election fraud allegations in 2019, returned following Arce’s presidential victory in 2020. The internal conflicts within the ruling Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) party have only intensified since.
International reactions to the coup attempt have been swift. The United States, through a National Security Council spokesperson, urged calm and closely monitored the situation. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern, calling for the protection of constitutional order. Latin American leaders and the Organization of American States (OAS) echoed these sentiments, condemning any breach of Bolivia’s democratic order.
This incident underscores the ongoing challenges to Bolivian democracy and the fragile political landscape President Arce must navigate as internal and external pressures mount.
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