There has been much unrest in Bolivia in recent days, as Bolivian Army General Juan Jose Zuniga threatened to overthrow President Luis Arce as he demanded a new cabinet and the release of political prisoners. He led military units to gather in the main square of La Paz, home to the presidential palace and Congress. An armored vehicle slammed a palace door to allow soldiers to rush into the building. But it was a failed attempt.
Amidst Bolivia's bid to join the BRICS group, Arce, supported by international allies, addressed and defused the situation, reaffirming his commitment to democracy and swearing in new military commanders. The now dismissed military chief was ordered to six months of "preventive detention" for his role in leading the failed coup against the government.
Following Wednesday's unsuccessful coup, observers have raised suspicion that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was part of the master plan. Users on X, formerly known as Twitter, speculated that the coup attempt was secretly backed by the CIA, either because of Bolivia's vast supplies of lithium, in retaliation for its closeness to Russia or its hostility to Israel. One X user said: "This is the second CIA-backed coup plot against the Bolivian state in under five years. Bolivia has 21 million tons of lithium reserves, the largest on the planet. Bolivia also cut off all relations with Israel in condemnation of the genocide in Gaza. Coincidence? I think not." A comment that seemed to refer to the U.S. from Puerto Rican communist "Combate" said: "They own Argentina. They own Chile. They're going after Bolivia."
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A different post highlighted Arce's recent trip to St. Petersburg and talks between Bolivia and Russia on nuclear research. "Let's not pretend we don't know who is responsible for today's coup, this is the work of the U.S. CIA," the post said.
Meanwhile, Great Game India reported that Zuniga was seeking to prevent former President Evo Morales from running for president again. He claimed that the former chief would harm the country. However, a Bolivian court has already declared Morales unable to run again.
Just like X users, analysts also believe that the CIA is involved in the failed resistance. Suspicion of the U.S. in Bolivia, stemming from the CIA's historical support for Latin American military regimes and the State Department's involvement in several coups under Henry Kissinger, has left a lasting legacy on the political life of the South American country, which has seen over 190 coup attempts in its history. (Related: How the CIA helped discredit Hunter laptop story for Biden win.)
Also, Bolivia is a contender for BRICS membership, which is likely to take place at the BRICS leaders' conference in Kazan, Russia on Oct. 22. Arce has been vocal about his commitment to the intergovernmental organization's worldview. In fact, he and Russian President Vladimir Putin met at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum last month, June 5-7, and they discussed the importance of the emerging multipolar world, free of neocolonialism and the strictures of the "rules-based order." So, if Zuniga was successful in his coup attempt, Arce's removal from power would be convenient for those forces targeting Brazil.
In a speech to supporters at the palace, Zuniga "saluted those officers who wear their uniform with pride and value the Armed Forces in a democratically-elected government," Los Tiempos, a Bolivian newspaper, said. The Presidents of Brazil, Mexico and Venezuela all issued statements of support for Arce while Bolivia's Foreign Minister Celinda Sosa Lunda urged the international community to come out in support of Arce and Bolivian democracy.
Arce celebrates Zuniga's failed coup attempt
The former Army commander has been handed a terrorism charge, which carries 15-20 years in prison, as well as a charge for an armed uprising, which carries a sentence of 5-15 years. The Attorney General's Office requested the six-month detention and said other government bodies, including the Defense Ministry and Interior Ministry, supported the request "due to the importance and seriousness of the events that occurred," state prosecutor Cesar Siles said.
Within hours of the attack, Zuniga urged the soldiers to withdraw, after leaders from around the world blasted the army's actions as illegal. Zuniga later claimed that he was following an order from Arce, who has denied having any involvement in or prior knowledge of Zuniga's operation.
The Bolivian president hailed the withdrawal as a victory for Bolivia's democracy and addressed the country's citizens in the aftermath, some of whom had taken to the streets in protest of the alleged coup attempt. "Many thanks to the Bolivian people," said Arce. "Long live democracy."
A video has been shown on Bolivian television showing Arce facing down Zuniga and a group of soldiers in a palace hallway on Wednesday. "I am your captain, and I order you to withdraw your soldiers, and I will not allow this insubordination," Arce said.
Zuniga was Arce's hand-picked leader for Bolivia's military. But as he entered the presidential palace on Wednesday, Zuniga cited the malaise in the country as the reason why he started the resistance. "The three chiefs of the armed forces have come to express our dismay. There will be a new cabinet of ministers. Surely things will change, but our country cannot continue like this any longer," Zuniga told a local TV station. "Stop destroying, stop impoverishing our country, stop humiliating our army."
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