LA PAZ: Bolivian armed forces seized control of the central square in La Paz on Wednesday, with an armoured vehicle ramming the entrance to the presidential palace. President Luis Arce condemned the actions as a "coup" and called for international support to safeguard democracy.
Arce criticised the mobilisation of army units led by General Juan Jose Zuniga, who was recently dismissed from his military command. From within the presidential palace, surrounded by armed soldiers, he declared, "Today the country is facing an attempted coup d'état. Today the country faces once again interests so that democracy in Bolivia is cut short." He urged the Bolivian people to "organise and mobilise against the coup d'état in favour of democracy."
The United States said that it is monitoring the situation closely, urging all parties to maintain calm and restraint.
Tensions in Bolivia have been escalating ahead of the 2025 general elections. Former President Evo Morales, planning to run against Arce, has caused a significant rift within the ruling socialist party and heightened political uncertainty. Morales, who governed from 2006 to 2019, was ousted amid widespread protests and succeeded by an interim conservative government before Arce's election in 2020.
Recently, Zuniga publicly opposed Morales' return to the presidency and threatened to block him if he attempted to run, leading to Zuniga's dismissal. On Wednesday, heavily armed soldiers and armoured vehicles converged on Plaza Murillo, the location of the presidential palace and Congress. Eyewitnesses reported seeing an armoured vehicle ramming the presidential palace door, with soldiers storming in.
In a statement to reporters, Zuniga expressed dismay at the country's situation, referencing the economic struggles and public discontent. "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," he said.
Evo Morales, head of the ruling MAS socialist party, accused Zuniga of staging a coup and announced a general work stoppage, including road blockades. "We will not allow the armed forces to violate democracy and intimidate people," Morales asserted.
Support for Arce and Bolivian democracy has surged from regional leaders, with even conservative political opponents condemning the military's actions. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador stated on X, "We express the strongest condemnation of the attempted coup d'état in Bolivia. Our total support and support for President Luis Alberto Arce Catacora."
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