Members of Bolivia’s military attempted to storm the presidential palace in La Paz, in an apparent coup led by a general claiming to be restoring democracy. General Juan José Zúñiga led the effort, with video footage showing security forces occupying Plaza Murillo, including a tank ramming the palace door. However, Zúñiga quickly disappeared, and his supporters were replaced by police officers supporting President Luis Arce, who called on Bolivians to resist the coup attempt.
Local reports indicated that Zúñiga had been dismissed from his position, potentially due to remarks about former President Evo Morales. During the attempt to take over the palace, Zúñiga briefly entered the building before criticizing President Arce’s government and calling for the release of imprisoned politicians and military members. He claimed the military was aiming to establish a true democracy for all, not just a few individuals. President Arce subsequently replaced Zúñiga as commander general of the armed forces.
After Zúñiga’s removal, new commanding general José Wilson Sánchez Velásquez urged him not to harm soldiers. The coup attempt was criticized by regional leaders, including President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil, who stated that coups never succeed. Bolivian political analyst Carlos Saavedra characterized the attempt as an adventure by a small group of soldiers with little support from the wider population.
In 2019, Morales and other leaders resigned amidst violent protests and military pressure, with Senator Jeanine Áñez assuming the presidency. However, in the subsequent election, voters overwhelmingly chose Arce, Morales’s chosen successor, as president. The thwarted coup attempt highlights ongoing political tensions in Bolivia, following Morales’s departure and subsequent return to power through the democratic process. President Arce reiterated his commitment to democracy and called on Bolivians to defend the country’s democratic institutions.
