A Bolivian general arrested and charged with a coup after a dramatic clash with the president

CNN
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A Bolivian general was arrested and accused of organizing a coup after Wednesday’s attempt to storm the presidential palace.

Military units led by Gen. Juan Jose Zúñiga – fired just a day earlier as commander of the Bolivian army – occupied the main square of the capital, La Paz, as armored vehicles rammed the palace doors and soldiers tried to break into government offices.

Hours later, President Luis Arce, who had called on the public to “organize and mobilize” to defend democracy, could be seen confronting Zúñiga in a crowded palace corridor, ordering the general to withdraw his troops and stand down.

After Zúñiga was handcuffed and thrown into a police car, a triumphant Arce raised his clenched fist to the huge crowd that had gathered outside the presidential palace, signaling the failure of the coup attempt.

His defense minister, Edmundo Novillo, later told a news conference that the government had regained “total and absolute control” of its army. “We are calling on society to get everything back to normal,” he said.

Bolivia has a long history of political instability, with nearly 40 attempted or successful coups since 1946. The botched takeover comes as the landlocked South American country of about 12 million people grapples with a growing economic crisis that has sparked street protests in recent months.

The country is plagued by dwindling foreign exchange reserves, especially the US dollar, and shortages of fuel and other basic necessities.

At the time of his arrest, Zúñiga claimed – without providing evidence – that he had acted on instructions from Arce.

“I met with the president on Sunday and the president told me: ‘The situation is very fucked up, this week is going to be critical.’ So I need to prepare something that will increase my popularity. And that’s what he told me, he asked, “Should we destroy (armored vehicles)?” – Zúñiga told reporters.

Justice Minister Ivan Lima denied Zúñiga’s claims, saying that he “is lying and trying to justify himself for the decision he took, for which he will have to answer to justice.”

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

The Bolivian Attorney General’s Office said it had opened an investigation against Zúñiga and “all other participants” involved in the incident. It is unclear where Zúñiga is being held.

Footage from the scene was released earlier Wednesday showing armed soldiers occupying Murillo Plaza, La Paz’s main square where the country’s executive and legislative offices are located.

Armored vehicles were seen smashing through the doors of Bolivia’s government palace as former President Morales, a member of Arce’s Movement for Socialism (MAS) party, said in an interview on Oct. 1 that “a coup is in the making.”

The video also showed some civilians clashing with soldiers in Murillo Plaza during the attempted coup.

Tension is rising in Bolivia’s latest political showdown over leftist former president Evo Morales’ plans to run for re-election against former ally Arce in next year’s general election.

Before being detained, Zúñiga turned to reporters in the square surrounded by soldiers and said, “We want to restore democracy,” speaking about the country’s economic difficulties. According to reports, he was previously dismissed from his position for threatening to block Morales’ re-election bid.

“People have no future, and the army has the courage to take care of the future of our children, the prosperity and progress of our nation,” he said.

He vowed to “release all political prisoners,” including former president Jeanine Anez, currently imprisoned for what courts say was her role in deadly protests that erupted after she came to power in 2019.

Amid the chaos, President Arce announced new military leaders, including Zúñiga’s replacement as army chief, General José Sánchez.

The situation appeared to be resolved when Sánchez ordered the soldiers in the square to return to their units.

According to Bolivia TV footage, armed vehicles were seen leaving Murillo Plaza shortly thereafter. Arce also announced the new heads of the navy and air force.

CNN is attempting to contact the Bolivian government for comment.

Morales, who publicly split from his former ally Arce, resigned as president in 2019 amid growing protests over accusations of election fraud; he claimed at the time that he had been forced to leave the country as a result of the coup d’état.

Gustavo A. Flores-Macías, a professor of government and public policy at Cornell University, told CNN that the coup attempt reflects widespread discontent in the country.

“What is happening in Bolivia is that broad sectors of society, in all strata of society, at all levels, are very dissatisfied with the current state of affairs, especially on the economic front. And the elections will take place in 2025,” he said.

During this election, Arce and Morales “seemed to be on a collision course. They both want to be the next president,” he added.

Fredy Mamani, a former Bolivian deputy foreign minister and an ally of Morales and Arce, told CNN that despite the “undemocratic” nature of “the tanks, uniformed soldiers and the occupation of the square… it is important to emphasize that the Bolivian people are united in the face of any coup.”

However, echoing Zúñiga’s comments, the opposition MP accused the government of staging a coup to rally 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 confirm that this was a coup d’état organized by the government of Luis Arce.”

News of the attempted coup was strongly condemned by international and regional leaders, including Paraguayan President Santiago Peña, the President of Mexico and the European Union.

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

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

Pan-American Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary General Luis Almagro condemned the mobilization in the “most vigorous manner” on X, saying that “the army must submit to the legally elected civilian authority.”

This story has been updated with additional information.