Bolivian armed forces pulled back from the presidential palace in La Paz on Wednesday evening, and a general was arrested after President Luis Arce condemned a “coup” attempt against the government and appealed for international support.
Earlier in the day, military units led by General Juan Jose Zuniga, who had recently been stripped of his command, gathered in Plaza Murillo, the central square housing the presidential palace and Congress. A Reuters witness reported seeing an armoured vehicle ramming a door of the presidential palace and soldiers rushing inside.
“Today the country is facing an attempted coup d’état. Today the country faces once again interests so that democracy in Bolivia is cut short,” Arce declared from within the presidential palace, surrounded by armed soldiers. “The Bolivian people are summoned today. We need the Bolivian people to organise and mobilise against the coup d’état in favour of democracy.”
A few hours later, soldiers were seen withdrawing from the square, and police took control of the plaza. Bolivian authorities arrested Zuniga and took him away, though their destination was unclear.
Inside the presidential palace, Arce swore in José Wilson Sanchez as the new military commander, filling Zuniga’s former role. He urged calm and the restoration of order. “I order that all personnel mobilised on the streets return to their units,” Sanchez said. “We entreat that the blood of our soldiers not be spilled.”
The United States stated it was closely monitoring the situation and urged calm and restraint.
Tensions have been escalating in Bolivia ahead of the 2025 general elections, with leftist ex-President Evo Morales planning to run against former ally Arce, creating a significant rift in the ruling socialist party and broader political uncertainty.
Many Bolivians oppose Morales’ return, recalling his governance from 2006-2019, which ended amid widespread protests and his replacement by an interim conservative government. Arce was then elected in 2020.
Zuniga had recently stated that Morales should not return as president and threatened to block him if he attempted to, prompting Arce to remove him from his post.
Before the attack on the presidential palace, Zuniga addressed reporters in the square, citing growing anger in the country, which has been battling an economic slump with depleted central bank reserves and pressure on the boliviano currency as gas exports dwindled.
“The three chiefs of the armed forces have come to express our dismay,” Zuniga told a local TV station, calling for a new cabinet of ministers. “Stop destroying, stop impoverishing our country, stop humiliating our army,” he said, flanked by soldiers, insisting the public supported their actions.
Later, Zuniga claimed Arce had asked him on Sunday to “raise something up” to boost his popularity, without providing evidence.
Interior Minister Eduardo del Castillo stated that Zuniga was seeking popular support and noted that the nine injured in the attempt proved “this was not a drill.”
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