In an apparent coup attempt against Bolivia’s President Luis Arce, military vehicles surrounded the presidential palace in La Paz June 26âwith one ramming open the building’s front doors. Arce took to Twitter to denounce the “irregular mobilization of some units of the Bolivian Army,” and called for democracy to be respected. As La Paz residents converged on Plaza Murillo to confront the troops outside the palace, Arce officially dismissed armed forces commander Gen. Juan JosĂ© ZĂșñiga, replacing him with Gen. JosĂ© SĂĄnchezâwho promptly issued orders for all troops to return to barracks. This caused the occupying troops to retreatfrom the plaza. Later, the Government Ministry announced that ZĂșñiga had been arrested.
The coup attempt drew harsh criticism from across Bolivian society, from the courts to the ombudsman to the general publicâwho have continued to show up in Plaza Murillo in huge numbers to support the government. Leaders of neighboring nations, including Brazillian President Luiz InĂĄcio Lula da Silva and Chilean President Gabriel Boric, also condemned the attempt.
Last week, ZĂșñiga said that he would arrest former president Evo Morales if he ran for president again. Morales had previously accused ZĂșñiga of leading a secret group within the army, called the Pachajchos, that monitors peasant leaders and political opponents.
From Jurist, June 27. Used with permission.
Photo via Twitter
Bolivia: ousted general charges false flag
Upon his arrest, Gen. ZĂșñiga claimed that the apparent coup attempt had been requested by Arce himself to “rehabilitate his popularity.” ZĂșñiga told cameras moments before he was formally taken into custody that Arce had instructed him to “bring out the armored vehicles.” The opposition has since been floating theories that the affair was an auto-golpe staged by Arce. (AgenziaNova, Radio Australia)Â