An attempted military coup in Bolivia was prevented after soldiers broke into the president’s residence

After Luis Arsa’s denunciation of the coup attempt, today (between Wednesday and Thursday, Israel time) General Zuniga withdrew from Plaza Morio and the tanks returned to the military barracks. This is after the president of Bolivia, Luis Arce, swore in the new military leadership – General Jose Wilson Sanchez, who ordered the army to leave the capital city, and the leader of the coup was arrested by his soldiers. There are also reports of one person injured by gunfire, further to the reports of rubber bullets being fired and the use of tear gas.

Following the coup attempt, a document was published on the X Twitter network in which the Bolivian Attorney General’s Office announces that it has opened a criminal investigation against General Juan Jose Zuniga and other people who participated in the coup attempt against the country’s president. Later, the “Reuters” news agency stated from a passerby that Zuniga was taken into custody.

This is after the army commander, General Juan Jose Zuniga, who led the entry of tanks and military forces into Plaza Moriyo, said that “at the moment” he recognizes President Luis Arce, but threatened to take over the government. He said his words before he took control of Moriyo Square, and before he started the coup.

“The pain of someone desperate for power is greater. More important is the pain and anger of a group of gang members who want to take power at any cost. They want the armed forces not to exist, they want freedom in this country, freedom to do what they want, freedom to plunder the natural resources Ours. They are using the humble, poor and needy people so that they have a goal to come to power and loot our beloved homeland,” he declared shortly before entering the government palace and carrying out the coup.

General Zuniga arrived in his camouflaged and armored vehicle and with large military forces. He waited for the tantrum of the Prime Minister, Eduardo del Castillo, who demanded that he leave. “Today, the army, air force and navy of Bolivia are being mobilized, in an emergency. We respond to the cry of the people, who want to stop the looting in our country. Stop destroying our country. It is the duty and the duty of the soldier of the homeland of his armed forces to return this homeland. Enough of the humiliation,” he said Zuniga

 

#LaPaz | Inside the Palacio Quemado they barricade themselves with the help of furniture to prevent the military from entering again by force pic.twitter.com/47vCVMkqGu

— ERBOL (@ErbolDigital) June 26, 2024

He said his words before General Zuniga and the military left the government palace, after a “discussion” with President Luis Arce. According to reports, Minister of the Presidency Eduardo del Castillo and his staff blocked the doors during the discussion. According to a report in El Pais, the current location of Bolivian President Arsena or members of his government, who were all supposed to meet in the Grande del Pueblo building located near Quemado Square (close to the beginning of the military coup), is unknown.

Bolivian President Luis Arce earlier condemned the “irregular recruitment” of some army units in La Paz. Former leader Abu Morales accused a senior general of plotting a coup. Videos shared on social media showed soldiers armed with many weapons and armored vehicles were seen gathering in a central park of the capital. In the media, the president also called on the people of Bolivia to mobilize: “We will respect democracy. We call on the Bolivian people to mobilize. We will satisfy the appetite of the evil army.”

According to a report in ntn24, General Zuniga promised that he would seize the headquarters of President Luis Arce and arrest former President Abu Morales. Bolivian President Luis Arce warned against a coup attempt by several elements in the Bolivian army. “We condemn the irregular recruitment of some units of the Bolivian army. Democracy must be respected,” Arce said on social media.

General Juan Jose Zuniga stated to the press in Moreio Square, in front of Palacio Comado, seat of the executive authority, that “the mobilization of all military units” seeks to express their anger “at the situation in the country”. and told reporters “Enough is enough. There can’t be such disloyalty,” he said. He also stated that he continues to obey President Luis Arce “for now”, but that he will take steps to “change the government cabinet”.

An eyewitness’s documentation from the place where citizens and journalists are seen gathering in the Moriyo Square area has surfaced on the networks:

 

#URGENT
🚨🚨🚨 MILITARY GASES CIVILIAN PERSONNEL AND JOURNALISTS AROUND THE #SQUARE WALL #TAKEPLAZAMURILLO #MILITARY #LUISARCECATACORA pic.twitter.com/qezxQUgWOX

— RTP Bolivia (@rtp_bolivia) June 26, 2024

“The three heads of the armed forces came to express our displeasure. There will be a new cabinet of ministers, things will certainly change, but our country cannot continue like this any longer,” General Juan Jose Zuniga told a local television station. He also said: “There will be a new government and things will definitely change. Our country cannot continue like this anymore,” he said.

Documentation: the moment when Bolivian President Aresa asks General Zuniga to withdraw his forces, and the latter refuses:

 

🔵 #ANF | This is the moment when President Luis Arce asks the Army commander, Juan José Zúñiga, to withdraw the military forces from Plaza Murillo. However, the military leader refuses. 📹Solar Radio pic.twitter.com/7xWTIT7rxe

— Fides News Agency (@noticiasfides) June 26, 2024

According to an AP report, Presidential Affairs Minister María Nella Prada said the army and tanks were taking over La Paz’s Moriyo Square, calling it an “attempted coup”. The people are “alert to defend democracy,” she told local Bolivian television station Red Uno. David Chukwaneka, the vice president of Bolivia, also denounces “the coup against the democratically elected government”.

 

A Military Coup appears to be underway in the South American Country of Bolivia, as Elements of the Army have gathered in the Administrative Capital of La Paz; while Soldiers have now Broken-Through the Main Gate to the Home of President Luis Arce, and are Clashing inside with… pic.twitter.com/TKIf5OCF29

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) June 26, 2024

Morales, publicly separating forces from Marsa, although both belong to the same socialist movement, announced a national mobilization of his supporters in support of democracy. He accused Zuniga of attempting a coup and announced a general work stoppage, including a call to block roads: “We will not allow the armed forces to violate democracy and intimidate people.”

The army is currently present in Moriyo Park in the capital city of La Paz, at the moment there is no entry for journalists and civilians to the place. According to reports in local media, a number of army soldiers managed to enter the president’s residence and are currently confronting the police.

 

#RTPInforma
🚨🚨#URGENT: Military arrive and surround Plaza Murillo. pic.twitter.com/VHInTXaVwY

— RTP Bolivia (@rtp_bolivia) June 26, 2024

The former president of Bolivia, Abu Morales, in a tweet on Twitter, condemned the movement of the army in the square of Morio outside the palace, calling it a “coup in the making”.

 

We denounce that a group from the Challapata Special Regiment “Mendez Arcos” took over Plaza Murillo with snipers. This seems to indicate that they prepared the coup d’état in advance.
I ask the people with a democratic vocation to defend the Homeland from some groups…

— Evo Morales Ayma (@evoespueblo) June 26, 2024

Following the coup attempt, the Workers’ Union of Bolivia (COB) announced a general strike for an indefinite period: “We do not intend to allow these coup attempts, if we have to be in the streets we will no longer do it. This is why we are announcing from this moment on a mobilized general strike Indefinitely,” said union leader Juan Carlos Huachi. The organization represents different labor sectors in the country such as farmers and professionals, and has a connection to the previous protests in the country.

how it all began?

The person responsible for the attempted military coup is General Juan Jose Zuniga, who was fired yesterday (Tuesday) after attacking former President Morales and saying that he would not support the establishment of a government headed by Abu Morales and his party MAS-IPSP (the “Movement for Socialism” party). Abu Morales responded by saying that such threats “do not happen in democracies.” “If they are not rejected by the commander of the IDF, the Minister of Defense, the president and the general of the IDF, it will be proven that what they are really approving is a military coup,” Morales wrote.