Bolivia coup bid fails after military assault on presidential palace
- President Luis Arce swore in a new military commander after an apparent coup attempt in Bolivia’s capital
Bolivian armed forces pulled back from the presidential palace in La Paz on Wednesday evening and two military leaders were arrested after President Luis Arce condemned a “coup” attempt against the government and called for international support.
Earlier in the day, military units led by General Juan Jose Zuniga, recently stripped of his military command, had gathered in the central Plaza Murillo square, home to the presidential palace and Congress. An armoured vehicle rammed a door of the presidential palace and soldiers rushed in.
“Today the country is facing an attempted coup d’état. Today the country faces once again interests so that democracy in Bolivia is cut short,” Arce said in comments from the presidential palace, with armed soldiers outside.
“The Bolivian people are summoned today. We need the Bolivian people to organise and mobilise against the coup d’état in favour of democracy.”
A few hours later, soldiers withdrew from the square and police took control of the plaza. Bolivian authorities arrested Zuniga and took him away.
