In the early afternoon of this Wednesday (26), the president of Bolivia, Luis Arce, denounced on his social network account X what he called “irregular mobilizations” by some units of the Bolivian Army. He later claimed that the country was suffering from an attempted military coup.
State news agency ABI had reported that at around 2:30 pm local time, tanks were being positioned in and around Plaza Murillo, a square in the capital La Paz where the offices of the Executive and Legislative branches are located.
A Reuters witness saw an armored vehicle slam into the door of the presidential palace and soldiers rush into the building.
Former president Evo Morales, also through social media, accused the troops of planning a coup d’état under the command of General Juan José Zuniga.
The commander had been removed from office after making threats against Morales.
Bolivian President Luis Arce then demanded that General Juan José Zuniga demobilize the soldiers who occupied the capital’s central square, which drew strong international condemnation of an attempted military coup.
People also took to the streets of Bolivia after the president called for mobilization against the attempt to take power.
Arce named new chiefs of the Armed Forces this Wednesday, and the new military command ordered troops led by General Zuniga to return home.
Bolivian Army soldiers and military vehicles then began to leave the vicinity of the presidential palace.
Bolivian authorities later arrested Commander Zuniga, as seen by a Reuters news agency witness.
Finally, the country’s Public Prosecutor’s Office said it will launch a criminal investigation against the general and other participants for leading what the government and international leaders condemned as an attempted coup.
Who is the general who led the coup attempt in Bolivia?
Since 2022, Juan José Zuñiga has served as commander-in-chief of the Bolivian Army.
But, on Monday (24), the military man made controversial statements against former Bolivian president Evo Morales, saying that he “can no longer be president of this country”.
His statements cost him his position, as the government decided to fire him on Tuesday (25). However, the military revolted against the Executive and publicly announced that the military forces would take over the government house.
Find out more about the general through this article.
History of President Luis Arce
Bolivia’s Luis Arce was sworn in as president on November 8, 2020, leading the country’s socialist party back to power, a year after longtime leftist leader Evo Morales was the target of protests that triggered a crisis policy.
Arce promised to “defeat” the pandemic in a country that has one of the worst death tolls per capita, heal political rifts and “put an end to fear” after violence the previous year.
Tensions have risen in Bolivia ahead of the 2025 general elections, with former left-wing president Evo Morales planning to run against longtime ally Arce, creating a major rift in the ruling socialist party and broader political uncertainty.
Many do not want the return of Morales, who governed between 2006 and 2019, when he was defeated amid widespread protests and replaced by an interim conservative government.
Countries expressed concern
World leaders expressed concern about the attempted coup d’état in Bolivia this Wednesday (24).
After question from CNN In a press conference, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) said he asked Chancellor Mauro Vieira for more information “so that we can have a position”.
He later made a post on social media reaffirming Brazil’s commitment “to the people and democracy in the brotherly country presided over by Luis Arce” and stated that he was a defender of democracy and that “the coup never worked”.
The Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the episode “in the strongest terms”.
Itamaraty highlighted that it will be in permanent contact with “the legitimate Bolivian authorities and the governments of other South American countries” to “reject this serious violation of the constitutional order in Bolivia and reaffirm its commitment to the full validity of democracy in the region” .
The president of Chile, Gabriel Boric, expressed concern on social media. “We express our support for democracy in our sister country and for the legitimate government of Luis Arce”, the Chilean leader highlighted.
The secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, condemned the situation in Bolivia, sending solidarity to Luis Arce. Almagro also highlighted that “any violation of the legitimate constitutional order” will not be tolerated.
The president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, also condemned the situation in Bolivia. “We strongly condemn the attempted coup d’état in Bolivia. Our full support and support for President Luis Alberto Arce Catacora, the authentic democratic authority of this people and brotherly country,” he said on X.
The United States is closely monitoring the situation in Bolivia and calls for calm and moderation, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council said on Wednesday (26).
See the full impact of world leaders on this matter.
*With information from Reuters and CNN Spanish
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
