Bolivian general arrested and charged with coup after dramatic showdown with president

CNN
—

A Bolivian general has been arrested and accused of staging a coup against the government after attempting to storm the presidential palace on Wednesday.

Military forces led by General Juan Jose Zuniga, who was fired the previous day as commander of the Bolivian armed forces, occupied the central square of the capital, La Paz, armored vehicles stormed the palace doors and soldiers tried to enter the government building.

Hours later, President Luis Arce, who had called on people to “organize and rally” to defend democracy, was seen confronting General Zúñiga in a crowded palace corridor and ordering his soldiers to withdraw and rest.

After Zuniga was handcuffed and shoved into a police vehicle, a triumphant President Arce raised his fist to the huge crowd at the presidential palace, signalling the defeat of the coup attempt.

Defense Minister Edmundo Novillo said at a press conference later that the government had regained “full and absolute control” over the military. “We urge our citizens to let everything return to normal,” he said.

Bolivia has a long history of political instability, including military coups, and the failed attempt to take power comes as the landlocked South American country of about 12 million people is struggling with a worsening economic crisis that has sparked street protests in recent months.

The country is suffering from dwindling foreign currency reserves, particularly US dollars, and shortages of fuel and other basic goods.

When he was arrested, Zuniga claimed, without offering any evidence, that he was acting on Arce’s instructions.

“I spoke with the president on Sunday. He told me: ‘The situation is very bad and this week is crucial, so I need to prepare something to boost my popularity.’ So he asked me: ‘Shall I send out armored vehicles?'” Zuniga told reporters.

Justice Minister Ivan Lima denied Zuniga’s allegations, saying: “He is lying and trying to justify decisions he has taken that must be subject to justice.”

The attempted coup was widely condemned by the Bolivian government and international leaders.

Bolivian prosecutors said they had opened a criminal investigation into Zuniga and “all other actors” involved in the attack. It was not clear where Zuniga was being held.

Early on Wednesday, footage from the scene showed armed soldiers taking over La Paz’s main square, Plaza Murillo, which is home to the country’s executive and legislative branches.

Armored vehicles were seen slamming into the doors of Bolivia’s government building, according to the Associated Press. “A coup is happening,” Morales, a member of Arce’s Movement for Socialism (MAS), told X-TV.

Video also showed civilians confronting soldiers in Murillo Square during the failed coup attempt.

Bolivia’s latest political showdown comes amid rising tensions over plans by leftist former President Evo Morales to seek re-election against his former ally Arce in next year’s general election.

“I want to restore democracy,” Zuniga told reporters in a square surrounded by soldiers before his arrest, as he spoke about the country’s economic difficulties. He had previously been ousted for threatening to block Morales’ re-election, according to reports.

“Our people have no future. Our military has the courage to protect the future of our children, the well-being and progress of our people,” he said.

The president vowed to “release all political prisoners,” including former President Jeanine Áñez, who is currently jailed for her role in the deadly protests that erupted after he came to power in 2019.

Amid the confusion, President Arce announced new military commanders, including appointing General José Sánchez to replace Zúñiga as army commander.

The situation appeared to be under control when President Sanchez ordered the soldiers in the square to return to their units.

President Arce also announced new heads of the navy and air force, among other things.

CNN has attempted to contact the Bolivian government for comment.

Morales, who publicly split with former ally President Arce, resigned as president in 2019 following growing protests over alleged election fraud, claiming at the time that he had been ousted in a coup.

Gustavo A. Flores Macias, a professor of government and public policy at Cornell University, told CNN the attempted coup reflects widespread discontent across the country.

“What’s happening in Bolivia is that broad segments of society, people from all walks of life, are very unhappy with the current situation, especially in the economic sphere, and we have elections coming up in 2025,” he said.

In that election, Arce and Morales “seemed to be on a collision course, both trying to become the next president,” he added.

Freddy Mamani, a former Bolivian deputy foreign minister and ally of Presidents Morales and Arce, told CNN that “the tanks, the soldiers in uniform and the occupation of the squares are undemocratic, but it is essential to emphasize that the Bolivian people are united against any coup.”

But opposition lawmakers echoed Zuniga’s comments, accusing the government of staging a coup to garner support.

“What happened today in Bolivia is a really strange situation,” Andrea Barrientos, a senator from the opposition Civic Community party, told the BBC. “We can say with certainty that this was a suicide coup engineered by the Luis Arce government.”

News of the attempted coup was met with rounded condemnation from international and regional leaders, including Paraguay’s President Santiago Peña, Mexico’s president, and the European Union.

“We express our support for the democracy of our brotherly country and for the legitimate government of Luis Arce,” Chilean President Gabriel Boric said on Tuesday.

The US Embassy in La Place said it was “closely monitoring the situation.”

Luis Almagro, secretary-general of the Pan-American organization, the Organization of American States (OAS), condemned the mobilization on X “in the strongest terms,” ​​saying “the military must be subordinate to a legitimately elected civilian government.”

This story has been updated with additional developments.