On Thursday Bolivian President Luis Arce emphatically denied the allegations that he was planning a coup against his government and referred to them as “lies.” The accusations were made by General Juan José Zuniga who attempted the failed coup alleging without any proof that it had been ordered by Arce in order to prop up his sagging popularity.
An overview
Arrests and Charges: Government arrests 17 people involved in attempted coup, mostly officers. Those detained included General Zuniga Chief of Staff of the Army, Former Navy Vice Admiral Juan Salvador Áñez. If proved guilty, they can be sentenced up to fifteen years, or more, for armed insurrection and attacks on government infrastructure.
The response of the public: Among ordinary Bolivians there are some who greeted the news with incredulity. One 48 year-old lawyer Evaristo Mamani said “they are playing with the wisdom of the people because no one believes this is a real coup.” Meanwhile some Bolivians accept Zuniga’s allegations while others see them as an act of desperation.
Government position: Arce and his administration strongly deny complicity in the alleged coup plot. “I am not a politician through whose blood I win people’s support,” Arce asserted eons ago during yesterday’s press conference. The president intimated that apart from presently serving soldiers, individuals implicated included ex-military personnel in addition to civvies but remains silent on that matter.
What makes it important?
These allegations only serve to create more political instability in Bolivia which already has severe economic problems such as foreign exchange scarcity and lack of fuel.
Therefore, this incident demonstrates how fragile democracy is in this South American country and shows increasing rivalry between Arce and former President Morales.
Read between lines
The recent failed coups exposed ongoing power struggle between both Morales’ and Arce. After being ousted out from power in 2019, Morales has staged a political comeback and plans to challenge Arce during the 2025 election.
Additionally, the contest deepens division in the country and adds to Arce’s governance problems, with his administration already under pressure from economic issues and intra-party dispute.
What are they talking about?
Government official: One of the detained persons is civilian Anibal Aguilar Gomez, whom senior member of cabinet Eduardo del Castillo described as coup “ideologue.” According to him, this group started their seditious activities around May.
International reaction: US Deputy Secretary of State Rich Verma said Zuniga’s actions were condemn by him when he was in Paraguay saying “democracies in our Western Hemisphere remain fragile.”
Expert view: “It is very unusual for Latin American coups what we are seeing here goes off on a tangent,” Diego von Vacano, a political scientist at Texas A&M University noted. He also argued that it turned Arce into an icon of defense of democracy after how he handled this situation.
What next
Political Support: Outside the Presidential Palace on Thursday supporters of President Arce rallied chanting “Lucho you are not alone!” This public show of support has given some breathing room to the beleaguered leader.
Further investigation: Authorities are still apprehending people linked to attempted coup. Speaking recently, Defense Minister Edmundo Novello said that the matter originated at secret meeting whereupon Mr. Arce sacked Zuniga and threatened to arrest Morales unless he stopped running for office in 2025.
Impact in future: The coup, even though unsuccessful, may increase Arce’s reputation during the time of economic hardship. Yet it does not fix the root problem. “The image will be improve by yesterday’s military action but it is not what he needs said Paul Koca a political analyst.”
