National crisis - After attempted coup in Bolivia: 17 military officers arrested
After the failed putsch attempt in Bolivia, 17 military personnel have been arrested. "We will stop this antidemocratic network. We will not rest until all responsible parties are brought before a court. It's time to bring the putschists from the streets and put them behind bars," said Bolivia's Interior Minister Eduardo del Castillo during a press conference on a Thursday.
Among those arrested are Generals Juan José Zúñiga and Vice Admiral Juan Arnez Salvador. They were supposed to be brought before a court for the first hearing on Thursday as well. The Prosecutor General accuses them of armed rebellion against the sovereignty of the state and an attack on the president. In the event of a conviction, they face up to 30 years in prison.
There have been various groups responsible for the planning, organization, and coordination of the putsch attempt, said del Castillo. Three more reservists are still being hunted.
Solidarity with the Government
A day after the putsch attempt, numerous demonstrators went out on the streets in support of the government. They erected roadblocks between the government seat La Paz and the higher-lying sister city El Alto, as reported by the newspaper "La Razón." "We will not allow democracy to be attacked," said El Alto's mayor, Eva Copa. In the industrial city at an altitude of 4100 meters, the government has numerous supporters among the workers and indigenous people.
A coup attempt failed in La Paz on a Wednesday. Disloyal military personnel had taken control of the central square with armored vehicles and had stormed the government palace. President Luis Arce dismissed the entire leadership of the armed forces. The new heads of the military branches ordered the troops to withdraw.
In Bolivia, generals have seized power numerous times. In the 1960s to 1980s, the military staged several dozen coups. The country has lived under military rule for nearly 100 years since its independence in 1825.
Under Zúñiga's command, soldiers had taken control of the central Murillo Square in La Paz. The dramatic moments passed without bloodshed: According to government reports, nine people were injured. "The commanders of the armed forces (...) spread fear and terror, and they used firearms against life, humanity, and the integrity of the Bolivian people," wrote Bolivia's Interior Minister Eduardo del Castillo on X.
Motivation for the Putsch?
The motivation for the putsch was initially unclear. "Enough of the impoverishment of our homeland, enough of the humiliation of the military. We have come to express our anger," said General Zúñiga as he approached the government palace.
Later, Zúñiga hinted that his putsch had even been coordinated with President Arce himself. "The president told me that the situation was very bad. It was necessary to prepare something to boost his popularity," said General Zúñiga before his arrest on television. "I asked him, 'Shall we bring out the tanks?' and he replied, 'Bring them out'." The government denied this account. "Zúñiga's goal was to seize power in the country against the will of the people," said Interior Minister Del Castillo.
Perhaps the putsch attempt was directed against a new Presidency campaign of the former president of Bolivia, Evo Morales (2006-2019). Reports indicate that Zúñiga said Morales should not return as President, and threatened to stand in his way. Due to these statements, Zúñiga was informed on Tuesday evening that he had to vacate his position, said Defense Minister Edmundo Novillo.
Morales and Arce are fighting for power
The leftist President Morales - the first indigenous President of Bolivia - stepped down in 2019 under military pressure, after being accused of electoral fraud by the opposition and international election observers. Despite being forbidden to do so in several court rulings, Morales intends to run for President again in 2025. Currently, Morales and his former ally Arce are vying for power in the ruling party MAS.
Bolivia belongs to the structurally weakest countries in Latin America. The interior has around 12 million inhabitants and is about three times the size of Germany. Roughly half of the Bolivians belong to indigenous peoples. Therefore, Bolivia is the second-largest country in Latin America in terms of indigenous population. Due to the poor economic situation, social protests occur regularly.
Morales also condemned the putsch attempt immediately. "We are convinced that democracy is the only way to resolve differences and that institutions and the rule of law must be respected," he wrote on X. "We reaffirm our demand that all involved in this crime be arrested and brought before a court."
International support strengthens Arce's position
International organizations and the presidents of several Latin American countries expressed their solidarity with the democratically elected government of Bolivia. "I condemn in the strongest terms attempts to overthrow the democratically elected government of Bolivia," wrote EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the platform X. The European Union stands with the democracies.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on all actors in Bolivian society, including the military, to uphold the constitutional order of the country and maintain a "climate of peace." The Secretary-General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, wrote on X: "For democracy: everything. For violence: nothing."
- The arrested Generals Juan Jose Zuniga and Vice Admiral Juan Arnez Salvador are accused of participating in a coup attempt against the Bolivian government, led by President Luis Arce.
- In response to the coup attempt, Mayor Eva Copa of El Alto, a city supportive of the government, stated, "We will not allow democracy to be attacked."
- Military conflicts in Bolivia have been a historical issue, with numerous coup attempts and periods of military rule since its independence in 1825.
- After dismissing the entire leadership of the armed forces, President Arce ordered new heads to take control of the military branches, leading to the withdrawal of troops from the central square in La Paz.
- Evidence suggested that General Juan Jose Zuniga may have coordinated his coup attempt with President Arce himself, aiming to boost his popularity, according to Zuniga's later statements.
- Following the failed putsch attempt, international organizations and leaders expressed solidarity with the democratically elected Bolivian government, condemning attempts to overthrow it and upholding the constitutional order.
