Bolivian police have detained General Juan José Zúñiga, the leader of an attempted coup, following a dramatic incursion at the presidential palace in La Paz. The arrest occurred hours after soldiers stormed the palace in a bid to overthrow President Luis Arce.
In the early hours of Thursday, hundreds of troops and armored vehicles were deployed to Murillo Square, a central area housing key government buildings. Amid the unrest, one armored vehicle attempted to breach the entrance to the presidential palace, while soldiers took up positions but eventually withdrew from the area.
General Zúñiga, who led the attempted coup, declared his intention to “restructure democracy” and indicated that, although he currently respected President Arce, a governmental change was imminent. His remarks came just before his arrest, where he asserted that the military intervention was carried out at the president’s request.
Zúñiga, appointed commander of the Bolivian Army in 2022, had been removed from his position on Tuesday after making contentious comments about former President Evo Morales. During the coup attempt, President Arce confronted General Zúñiga inside the presidential palace, demanding that he stand down from his role. Footage captured loud background noises as the confrontation unfolded in the presence of aides, journalists, and armed police.
President Arce denounced the coup attempt in a televised address, urging citizens to “organize and mobilize… in favor of democracy” and condemning any attempts to undermine Bolivian democracy. His call to action resonated with many, prompting pro-democracy demonstrations in support of the government.
Arce also announced the appointment of new military commanders, following General Zúñiga’s dismissal after his criticism of Morales. Morales, now calling for criminal charges against General Zúñiga, urged the prosecution of the general and his “accomplices.”
The Bolivian public prosecutor’s office has initiated a criminal investigation, and Vice-Admiral Juan Arnez Salvador of the Bolivian Navy has also been arrested. While the exact motives behind General Zúñiga’s actions remain unclear, he previously vowed to arrest Morales if he attempted to run for office again next year, despite Morales being barred from candidacy.
General Zúñiga accused an “elite” of taking over the country and described the attempted coup as a response to alleged political corruption. However, just before his arrest, Zúñiga claimed that President Arce had ordered the deployment of armored vehicles to boost his declining popularity.
Opposition senator Andrea Barrientos suggested that the economic and judicial crises in Bolivia might have prompted what she described as a “self-coup” by President Arce. She called for a thorough investigation into the incident, which now appears to have been a short-lived and misguided military uprising rather than a more extensive political crisis.
Former President Morales mobilized his supporters to counter the coup attempt, including members of Bolivia’s indigenous coca-growers movement. This popular response likely contributed to thwarting General Zúñiga’s plans, which also involved the release of political prisoners, including former interim leader Jeanine Áñez.
The episode has underscored internal political tensions within Bolivia’s ruling party, despite Arce and Morales uniting in their condemnation of using military force for political change. The attempted coup marks the latest chapter in Bolivia’s tumultuous political history, following the ousting of Morales in 2019 and the subsequent election of Arce in 2020.
In the wake of the coup attempt, regional allies, including left-wing governments in Venezuela and Colombia, along with the United States and Paraguay, have condemned the events and called for the preservation of democracy in Bolivia.
