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2024 Bolivian coup attempt

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On 26 June 2024, General Juan José Zúñiga, commander of the Bolivian Army, attempted a coup d'état by sending troops to seize Plaza Murillo in La Paz, the country's administrative capital, and storm the Casa Grande del Pueblo, the presidential palace. The previous day, president Luis Arce had relieved Zúñiga of his post due to alleged threats made against former president Evo Morales.

2024 Bolivian coup attempt

Clockwise from top: Plaza Murillo being surrounded by soldiers during the coup attempt; soldiers mobilizing in the center of La Paz; police standing guard behind the Casa Grande Del Pueblo.
Date25–26 June 2024
Location
La Paz, Bolivia
16°29′46″S 68°08′00″W / 16.49611°S 68.13333°W / -16.49611; -68.13333
Result Government Victory
Belligerents

Government of Bolivia

Supported by:

 Bolivian Armed Forces

Commanders and leaders
President Luis Arce
David Choquehuanca
Edmundo Novillo
Eduardo del Castillo
Evo Morales[4]		 General Juan José Zúñiga Surrendered
Vice Admiral Juan Arnez Salvador Surrendered
Units involved
  • 24th Ranger Regiment Méndez Arcos Challapata
  • Military Police[7]
    • Casualties and losses
    10 soldiers detained[8]
    12 civilians injured[9]

    Arce denounced the coup, which was followed by similar condemnations from across the Bolivian political spectrum. Anti-coup protesters took to the streets, and the Bolivian Workers' Center, the country's largest trade union federation, announced a general strike.

    The coup attempt ended after Arce personally confronted Zúñiga in the presidential palace. Zúñiga, along with the heads of the Air Force and Navy, was immediately dismissed. He was subsequently arrested. The new Army commander, José Wilson Sánchez, then ordered troops back to their barracks. The coup attempt received widespread international condemnation.[10]

    Background

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    The coup attempt occurred amid social instability caused by institutional crises and various economic challenges such as an economic recession, the weakening of the boliviano over other currencies, declining international reserves and exports, and fuel shortages.[citation needed][11]

    Arce–Morales split

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    Politically, incumbent president Luis Arce and former president Evo Morales had emerged as leaders of different factions in the Movement towards Socialism (MAS) in the run-up to the 2025 elections; their split arose over the issue of presidential re-election, despite Morales's disqualification by the Plurinational Constitutional Court (TCP).[12] This created a charged political atmosphere, with the party at risk of losing its legal status and the cancellation of its primary elections by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal,[13] and the situation was compounded by an institutional crisis within the judiciary involving the judicial elections and the indefinite extension of the mandate of Bolivia's courts of justice approved by the TCP.[citation needed]

    On 25 June, the day before the coup attempt, General Juan José Zúñiga, commander of the Army, was relieved of his post due to statements he had made against Morales. According to Morales, Zúñiga had allegedly threatened him, Senate President Andrónico Rodríguez, and Senator Leonardo Loza [es].[14] During an interview, Zúñiga announced that the Bolivian Armed Forces would arrest Morales if he ran in the 2025 presidential election.[15]

    Coup

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    State media agency ABI reported that the mobilization began around 2:30 p.m. BOT.[16] Eight tanks and numerous military personnel were deployed at Plaza Murillo in front of the Casa Grande del Pueblo, the presidential palace in La Paz.[17] Zúñiga was present in the square and made a statement on a local TV station, saying, "The three chiefs of the armed forces have come to express our dismay. There will be a new cabinet of ministers; surely things will change, but our country cannot continue like this any longer."[3][18] He also accused an "elite" of taking "over the country", and announced that "political prisoners", including former president Jeanine Áñez, would be released.[19]

    An armored vehicle rammed the gate of the Casa Grande del Pueblo, with soldiers storming the interior of the building. Morales stated that a group from the Méndez Arcos Challapata Special Regiment had taken over Plaza Murillo with the assistance of snipers.[19] Simultaneously, Arce made a broadcast from inside the palace, calling on the population to mobilize against the coup to protect democracy and Bolivian lives.[3]

    Residents in La Paz rushed to currency exchanges, financial institutions such as banks, shopping centers, pharmacies, markets, supermarkets, and petrol stations. Similar scenes were reported across the country.[20]

    Minister of Government Eduardo del Castillo approached one of the armored vehicles to demand that the soldiers disembark, and asked a colonel to explain their presence there.[21]

    Televised footage showed Arce confronting Zúñiga in the presidential palace hallway, telling him, "I am your captain, and I order you to withdraw your soldiers. I will not tolerate this insubordination."[22]

    Arce, along with his entire cabinet, addressed the nation from the Casa Grande del Pueblo, mobilizing protesters.[23] A group of demonstrators surrounded several streets leading to Plaza Murillo, chanting in support of the Arce government. The military deployed tear gas.[24] The Bolivian Workers' Center, the country's main trade union federation, condemned the coup attempt and announced an immediate and indefinite strike.[citation needed]

    Military leadership replacements and end of the coup

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    During the coup attempt, Arce announced new heads of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, while condemning the troops who had risen against him as "staining the uniform". He appointed José Wilson Sánchez as the new Army chief, who ordered all participating troops to return to their barracks.[25] Gerardo Zavala Álvarez was appointed as the chief of the Air Force, and Renán Guardia Ramírez as the chief of the Navy.[26] Troops and armored vehicles departed from the presidential palace shortly after.[18]

    Aftermath

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    On the evening of 26 June, Bolivian police arrested Zúñiga.[5] The public prosecutor's office announced it would criminally investigate the coup plotters.[27]

    Following his arrest, Zúñiga claimed that on 23 June, he met with Luis Arce, who allegedly ordered him to deploy tanks in the streets for an attempted self-coup, stating it was necessary to boost his popularity.[28][29] After making these statements, Zúñiga was taken to the offices of the Special Force to Fight Crime (FELCC) in La Paz. Later, he was presented to the press as a "criminal". Minister of Government Eduardo Del Castillo presented a report describing the events as a "failed coup".[6] Arce also described allegations of a self-coup as "lies" and said that retired military personnel and civil society figures were also involved in the coup attempt,[30] later adding that Zúñiga was planning to install himself as president.[31]

    Vice Admiral Juan Arnez Salvador, former Commander General of the Armed Forces, was also detained. Zúñiga and Arnez face charges including armed uprising, assault against the president, destruction of public property, and other crimes.[32]

    On 27 June, authorities presented 17 individuals accused of involvement in the coup, adding they had begun planning the attempt in May. One of the suspects, Aníbal Aguilar Gómez, a civilian described as a key "ideologue", denied the charges and went on a hunger strike.[33][30] He also attempted to implicate Chile in the matter.[34] A total of 21 suspects were arrested in relation to the coup. On 28 June, Zúñiga, Arnez, and Alejandro Irahola, the former head of the army's mechanized brigade, were placed under a six-month pre-trial detention in a high-security prison in La Paz.[35]

    Reactions

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    Domestic

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    In a public statement, President Arce called for "democracy to be respected"[36] and later expressed thanks to the Bolivian people following the failure of the coup.[27] Evo Morales made a public statement denouncing the military mobilization[37][failed verification] and accused Zúñiga of attempting a coup, intimidating citizens and violating democracy. Morales also recommended that roadways be blocked while announcing a general strike.[11][failed verification]

    Minister of the presidency María Nela Prada called the mobilization in the public square an "attempted coup d'état" and stated on local television station Red Uno de Bolivia that "the people are on alert to defend democracy".[38] Senator Virginia Velasco Condori [es], who served as minister of justice under Evo Morales, spoke to reporters outside the Plurinational Legislative Assembly accusing Morales of being behind the coup attempt.[39]

    Former presidents of Bolivia Jorge Quiroga and Jeanine Áñez released individual statements opposing the coup attempt and calling for voters to replace the country's political leadership in the 2025 general election.[40] Former president Carlos Mesa and Luis Fernando Camacho, the governor of the department of Santa Cruz, also expressed their repudiation of the coup attempt.[41][42]

    International

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    Organization of American States Secretary General Luis Almagro showed solidarity with Arce's government while condemning the Army's actions.[39]

    Heads of states of Ibero-America such as Brazil,[43] Chile,[44] Colombia,[45] Costa Rica,[46] Cuba,[47] Guatemala,[48] Honduras,[49] Mexico,[50] Nicaragua,[51] Panama,[52] Paraguay,[53] Peru,[54] Spain,[55] Uruguay,[56] and Venezuela[57] condemned the coup attempt, as did Russia[58] and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union Josep Borrell and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.[59][60]

    The government of Argentina condemned the coup attempt, with Minister of Foreign Affairs Diana Mondino expressing that "governments should only be changed through the ballot box, not through violent coups" and "democracy is non-negotiable".[61]

    In a statement issued by the US embassy in Bolivia, the United States rejected any attempt to overthrow the elected government and called for "respect for the constitutional order and the rule of law".[62] A White House spokesperson said that the Biden administration was monitoring developments.[63]

    United Nations human rights chief Volker Türk called for "a thorough and impartial investigation into allegations of violence and reports of injuries."[64]

    See also

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    References

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