Bolivia’s army chief, General Juan Jose Zuniga, was arrested on Wednesday following his deployment of soldiers and tanks to key government buildings, an action President Luis Arce denounced as an attempted coup.
In the afternoon, troops and tanks entered Plaza Murillo, the historic square housing the presidency and Congress, sparking widespread condemnation as an attack on democracy. One of the tanks attempted to breach a metal door at the presidential palace.
General Zuniga, surrounded by soldiers and eight tanks, declared, “The armed forces intend to restructure democracy, to make it a true democracy and not one run by the same few people for 30, 40 years.” However, the uprising dissipated after about five hours, with AFP reporters observing the troops and tanks retreating from the square.
Zuniga was later captured and forced into a police car while addressing reporters outside a military barracks, state television footage showed. “General, you are under arrest,” Deputy Interior Minister Jhonny Aguilera announced to Zuniga.
Addressing supporters from the balcony of the government palace, President Arce proclaimed, “No one can take away the democracy we have won.” He had previously called on Bolivians to mobilize against the coup attempt in a televised message flanked by his ministers. Arce also swore in new military leaders, dismissing Zuniga.
In a shocking claim before his arrest, Zuniga alleged that President Arce had orchestrated the uprising to boost his sagging approval ratings. Zuniga recounted a meeting where Arce supposedly directed him to “stage something to raise his popularity.”
Former president Evo Morales responded on social media, warning of a brewing coup and urging a national mobilization to defend democracy. Bolivia remains deeply polarized after years of political instability, with internal conflicts within the ruling Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) party, split between Arce and his former mentor Morales.
Morales, Bolivia’s first Indigenous president, faced immense popularity until he attempted to seek a fourth term in 2019, bypassing the constitution. Forced to resign amid protests over alleged election fraud, Morales fled but returned following Arce’s 2020 presidential victory. Since then, tensions have escalated between the two leaders, with Morales accusing the government of corruption and political sidelining.
The Constitutional Court disqualified Morales from the 2025 elections six months ago, yet he continues to seek the MAS nomination. Arce has not declared if he will seek re-election.
Zuniga’s arrest followed his televised statement on Monday, where he threatened to arrest Morales if he pursued office in 2025. “Legally he is disqualified, that man cannot be president of this country again,” he asserted, fueling rumors of his imminent dismissal.
The Biden administration expressed concern over the events in Bolivia, calling for calm, according to a National Security Council spokesperson. Latin American leaders, including those from Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Mexico, Colombia, and Venezuela, also condemned the troop movements, urging respect for democracy.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva emphasized his support for democracy, writing, “I am a lover of democracy and I want it to prevail throughout Latin America. We condemn any form of coup d’etat in Bolivia.” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez echoed the call for respect for democracy and the rule of law.
The Organisation of American States (OAS) affirmed that the international community would not tolerate any breach of Bolivia’s constitutional order.
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