Bolivia Coup attempt failed - general in custody

Armored vehicles ram the doors to the government palace, the army chief stands on the forecourt and promises a new cabinet. Meanwhile, the president stands firm and replaces the leadership of the armed forces; in the end, the rebelling troops retreat.

An attempted coup has failed in Bolivia. On Wednesday, armored vehicles rammed the doors of the government palace in the capital La Paz, as television footage showed. President Luis Arce had previously reported an "irregular deployment of troops" and called on the people to fight back. He later demonstratively appointed three new commanders for the Bolivian armed forces. In the end, the coup plotters retreated and the general suspected of being responsible, Juan José Zúñiga, was arrested.

Television footage earlier showed two tanks and several men in military uniforms in Plaza Murillo in front of the government palace. The previous army chief Zúñiga, who appeared to be leading the rebellion, was also present. "Surely there will soon be a new cabinet of ministers; our country, our state cannot go on like this," he told journalists in the square. "For now", however, he recognized Arce as commander-in-chief.

Zúñiga did not initially comment on the question of whether he was actually at the head of the putschists. However, when he entered the palace grounds, he added that the army was trying to "restore democracy and free our political prisoners".

Von der Leyen condemns attempted coup

On the online platform X, Arce called for respect for democracy. In a video message sent to the news media, the head of state, flanked by members of the government, later emphasized that "once again, coup attempts cannot be allowed to claim the lives of Bolivians". Arce emphasized that the government would stand firm and resist any coup attempt.

Former President Evo Morales also condemned the movement of troops in Plaza Murillo on X and called the events a coup d'état "in the making". The government in neighboring Chile and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also condemned the attempted coup.

A video later circulated on Bolivian television showing Arce confronting the previous army chief Zúñiga in a palace corridor. "I am your captain and I order you to withdraw your soldiers. And I will not tolerate this insubordination," says the president.

Zúñiga: I was commissioned by the president

He later appointed new commanders to head the army, navy and air force to the cheers of his supporters. Video footage showed troops erecting barriers in front of the government palace.

The newly appointed army chief José Wilson Sánchez ordered all troops who had mobilized to return to their units. He said that nobody wanted to see such images on the streets. Shortly afterwards, the troops and armored vehicles began to retreat. Hundreds of Arce's supporters later streamed into Plaza Murillo, waving Bolivian flags, singing the national anthem and cheering. The president thanked them for their support in a speech. Soldiers who had risen up against him had "stained the uniform", said Arce. He would ensure that democracy was respected.

Shortly before his arrest, the ousted Zúñiga surprised everyone by claiming that it was Arce himself who had ordered him to storm the palace. This was intended as a political maneuver, the former army chief told reporters. "The president told me: 'The situation is very messed up, very critical. It is necessary to prepare something to increase my popularity'." When he then asked Arce whether he wanted to "put the armored vehicles out of action", he replied that he should do so.

Justice Minister: Zúñiga is lying

Justice Minister Iván Lima, however, rejected Zúñiga's statements as false. The ex-chief of the army was lying and merely trying to justify his actions, for which he would be held accountable, explained Lima. On the online platform X, he added that prosecutors would demand the maximum sentence of 15 to 20 years in prison for Zúñiga, as he had "attacked democracy and the constitution".

In recent months, protests have intensified due to the economic decline of Bolivia, which was one of the fastest growing countries in Latin America just 20 years ago. The country is also experiencing a rift at the top of the ruling party. Arce and his former ally Morales are wrestling over the future of the fragmented movement towards socialism ahead of the elections scheduled for 2025.