Bolivians experienced a sense of déjà vu on Wednesday when President Luis Arce’s social media accounts denounced “irregular movements” by several Army units.
Less than five years after top military officers pushed former President Evo Morales out of office, General Juan José Zúñiga — who was the commander of the country’s Armed Forces until Tuesday — led troops to forcibly enter the presidential palace. Gen. Zúñiga pledged to “restructure democracy” in Bolivia and claimed to have the backing of police forces.
Mr. Arce confronted Gen. Zúñiga at the doorstep of the presidential palace and ordered the military to return to their barracks.
Within three hours, the apparent coup attempt was quashed, and Gen. Zúñiga — along with some of his co-conspirators — was arrested, revealing the putsch had little support. However, the general claimed, without evidence, that his incursion had been ordered by the president himself — in a false flag operation to boost his popularity.
Members of the Bolivian government responded by saying that Gen. Zúñiga had lost all credibility. “They were trying to win popular support and the support of the Bolivian people,” said Eduardo del Castillo, the minister of government. “But the people of Bolivia no longer want coup adventures.”
The coup attempt must be understood...
Search
