On Wednesday evening, Bolivian armed forces with armored vehicles withdrew from the presidential palace in La Paz after President Luis Arce denounced a “coup” attempt against the government and called for international support.
Military units led by General Juan Jose Zuniga, who had recently been stripped of his military command, gathered earlier in the day in the central Plaza Murillo square, home to the presidential palace and Congress.
An armored vehicle was seen ramming a door of the presidential palace, followed by soldiers rushing in, according to a Reuters witness.
“Today, the country is facing an attempted coup d’état. Once again, there are interests trying to cut short democracy in Bolivia,” he stated from the presidential palace, with armed soldiers outside.
“The Bolivian people are called upon today. We need the Bolivian people to organize and mobilize against the coup d’état in favor of democracy.”
Later in the day, soldiers were observed withdrawing from the square while police assumed control of the plaza, as reported by a Reuters witness.
Following the ceremony inside the presidential palace, José Wilson Sánchez assumed the role of military commander, formerly held by Zuniga. Sánchez called on soldiers to return to their barracks and urged leaders to prevent any violence.
The United States stated it was closely monitoring the situation and urged for calm and restraint.
As Bolivia gears up for the 2025 general elections, tensions are mounting as former leftist President Evo Morales prepares to challenge his former ally Arce.
This has exacerbated divisions within the ruling socialist party and increased political uncertainty.
Many oppose the return of Morales, who governed from 2006 to 2019 before being ousted amid widespread protests and replaced by an interim conservative government. Arce subsequently won the 2020 election.
Recently, Zuniga stated Morales should not be allowed to return as president and threatened to block any attempt by him to do so, prompting Arce to remove Zuniga from his position.
Prior to the attack on the presidential palace, Zuniga had addressed reporters in the square, highlighting growing discontent in the landlocked country.
Bolivia has been grappling with an economic downturn, depleted central bank reserves, and pressure on the boliviano currency due to dwindling gas exports.
“The three chiefs of the armed forces have come to express our dismay,” Zuniga told a local TV station, advocating for a new cabinet of ministers but refraining from calling for Arce’s removal.
In full uniform and surrounded by soldiers, he urged, “Stop destroying, stop impoverishing our country, stop humiliating our army,” asserting that the action taken had public support.
Morales accused Zuniga of attempting a coup and declared a general work stoppage along with a call to block roadways.
“We will not tolerate the armed forces undermining democracy and intimidating the people,” Morales asserted.
Public backing for President Arce and Bolivia’s democratic process has come from regional leaders, with even conservative political adversaries within Bolivia, such as imprisoned former President Jeanine Anez, vehemently condemning the military intervention.
“We strongly condemn the attempted coup d’état in Bolivia. We fully support President Luis Alberto Arce Catacora,” Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador stated on X.