Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
USA TODAY
Soldiers storm Bolivia's presidential palace in apparent coup
By Daniel Ramos and Anthony Esposito,
3 days ago
Members of Bolivia's military stand guard at Plaza Murillo as Bolivia's President Luis Arce "denounced the irregular mobilization" of some units of the country's army, in La Paz, Bolivia June 26, 2024, in this screen grab taken from a video.REUTERS TV via REUTERS Reuters TV, REUTERS
LA PAZ, Bolivia − Bolivian armed forces took over the capital's central square on Wednesday, and an armored vehicle rammed through the entrance to the presidential palace followed by soldiers rushing in, igniting fears of a military coup.
Bolivian President Luis Arce denounced the "irregular mobilization" of some army units in La Paz and demanded the troops demobilize.
"If you respect the line of military command, withdraw all these forces right now," Arce said. "That is an order."
Former leader Evo Morales , who has publicly split with Arce although both belong to the same socialist movement, accused top General Juan Jose Zuniga of plotting a coup.
Heavily armed soldiers and armored vehicles gathered in the central Plaza Murillo square, which is home to the presidential palace and Congress. A Reuters witness saw an armored vehicle ramming into a door of presidential palace and soldiers rushing in.
"We are going to recover this homeland," General Juan José Zúñiga told reporters from Murillo Square after it was taken by troops.
"The three chiefs of the armed forces have come to express our dismay. There will be a new cabinet of ministers, surely things will change, but our country cannot continue like this any longer,"Zuniga told a local TV station.
Zuniga addressed reporters in the square prior to the assault on the national palace.
"Stop destroying, stop impoverishing our country, stop humiliating our army," he said in full uniform, flanked by soldiers, insisting the action being taken was supported by the public.
He accused Zuniga of seeking to stage a coup and announced a general work stoppage including a call to block roadways.
"We will not allow the armed forces to violate democracy and intimidate people," Morales said.
Public support for Arce and Bolivia's democracy has poured in from regional leaders, while even conservative political opponents in Bolivia including jailed ex-President Jeanine Anez have strongly condemned the military action.
"We express the strongest condemnation of the attempted coup d'état in Bolivia. Our total support and support for President Luis Alberto Arce Catacora," Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on X .
Rising Tensions
Tensions have been building in Bolivia ahead of general elections in 2025, with Morales planning to run against former ally Arce, creating a major rift in the ruling socialist party and wider political uncertainty.
Many do not want a return of Morales, who governed from 2006-2019 when he was ousted amongst widespread protests and replaced by an interim conservative government. Arce then won election in 2020.
Zuniga had said recently that Morales should not be able to return as president, which led Arce to strip him of his command this week.
The landlocked South American country is also battling an economic slump with depleted central bank reserves and pressure on the boliviano currency as gas exports have dried up.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Comments / 0