In an unexpected turn of events, the coup attempt in Bolivia was almost averted on Wednesday. The leader of the Bolivian armed forces, General Juan José Zúñiga, had massed men and armored vehicles outside the presidential palace in La Paz. He planned to enter the palace and seize power in a bid to “restructure democracy” in Bolivia.
However, before he could carry out his plan, an armored vehicle attempted to break down the metal door of the presidential palace. General Zúñiga quickly entered the palace, but President Luis Arce swiftly accused him of attempting a coup and urged citizens to mobilize in favor of democracy.
The situation escalated when General Zúñiga ordered his men to fire tear gas at anyone trying to approach them. President Arce condemned these actions and demanded that General Zúñiga be removed from office immediately. The general was arrested in front of the cameras and taken for questioning on charges of terrorism and armed uprising.
The soldiers eventually withdrew from the area, but not before causing division within Bolivia’s ruling party, the Movement Toward Socialism, between President Arce and former president Evo Morales. The United States, European countries, and international organizations have expressed concern over the events in Bolivia and called for respect for democracy and the rule of law in South America.
In summary, what was supposed to be a peaceful transfer of power turned into a violent clash between two factions with different views on how democracy should be restructured in Bolivia. While there were no casualties reported during this incident, it has caused further tension within South America’s political landscape.
