Bolivia is undergoing a major political crisis and an allegedly fake coup has only added to the confusion.
The crisis began when a faction of the Bolivian military attempted to seize control of the government by surrounding and storming Palacio Quemado, the presidential palace in La Paz on June 26. An armored vehicle rammed the palace doors, and soldiers briefly occupied the plaza. When troops forced their way in, the coup leader – disgruntled former army chief Juan José Zuñiga – faced off against the president, Luis Arce.
Flanked by cabinet ministers and clasping a ceremonial baton, a symbol of his rank as head of state, Arce, 60, ordered Zuñiga to back down, telling him: “I am your captain … withdraw all of your troops right now, general.”
Arce quickly responded by calling on the Bolivian people to organize and defend democracy. His call was met with widespread support, both domestically and internationally. Citizens took to the streets in support of Arce, and loyal military units helped counter the coup attempt. By late afternoon, the coup had been thwarted, and Zúñiga was arrested on charges of terrorism and armed uprising.
Shockingly, this country of 12.5 million people has experienced a whopping 190 coups, as well as military dictatorships and revolutions, since it gained independence in 1825.
Just before he was detained on Wednesday, Zuñiga sowed seeds of doubt, telling journalists – without providing evidence – that Arce had ordered him to stage a sham coup in a bid to boost the president’s flagging popularity.
The former commander, who was reportedly close to the government, had been sacked the day before the mutiny, according to Bolivia’s minister of government, Eduardo Del Castillo.
Zuñiga’s remarks were seized upon by the opposition, who demanded a parliamentary inquiry into claims that Arce had tried to orchestrate an autogolpe (self-coup).
That fueled speculation about what really happened, even after the government announced the arrest of 17 people, most of them military officers. Opposition senators and government critics joined the chorus of doubters, calling the mutiny a “self-coup.”
Some Bolivians said they believed Zúñiga’s allegations. They pointed to indications, evidence and statements that allowed them to believe that the coup had been premeditated and could even involve the participation of the government.
Other experts believe the coup attempt was not a fake but a genuine and serious threat to Bolivia’s democracy. The swift mobilization of civilian and loyal military support was crucial in maintaining the constitutional order.
In Arce’s defence, Deisy Choque, a legislator for the governing Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) party, warned that the coup might have been successful “had it not been for the position taken by the president, the ministers and Bolivian society as a whole in immediately repudiating these actions”.
She claimed that Zuñiga’s words held little credibility as he had changed his story several times.
On Thursday, Arce strongly denied accusations that he was behind the attempted coup, saying: “We are never going to authorize weapons to be raised against the people. What the former army commander general did […] was to rise against the Bolivian people, attacking the democracy that has cost the Bolivian people blood. We are never going to do that. Never.”
On Friday, the government announced 20 further arrests, including a former Navy vice-admiral. About 200 military officers took part in the attempted coup, Bolivia’s ambassador to the Organization of American States said.
What is beyond doubt is that Arce is presiding over a flailing economy. Bolivia is going through multiple crises: political, economic, social and environmental, but above all institutional. The government is in a very weak situation with no cohesion within its own party.
Amid plummeting gas exports and dwindling foreign reserves, there are growing protests over rising food prices and the scarcity of fuel and U.S. dollars, as well as deep divisions within his political party.
Bolivia has been experiencing political upheaval due to a complex interplay of political, social, and economic factors. The crisis escalated significantly after the presidential election in October 2019, which was fraught with allegations of fraud.
Incumbent President Evo Morales claimed victory, but the Organization of American States reported irregularities, leading to widespread protests. The situation intensified when Morales resigned under pressure from the military and sought asylum in Mexico, creating a power vacuum and further polarizing the nation.
The subsequent declaration of Jeanine Áñez as interim president was met with controversy, as her government faced accusations of political persecution against Morales’ supporters and a heavy-handed response to protests. Bolivia’s deep-seated ethnic and social tensions, particularly between the indigenous population that largely supported Morales and the mestizo and European-descended population, were exacerbated by his departure. As the country’s first indigenous president, Morales had significant backing from indigenous groups, and his exit intensified existing divisions.
Economic challenges have also played a crucial role in the upheaval. Bolivia’s economy, heavily reliant on natural gas and mineral exports, has faced a slowdown, increasing public dissatisfaction. The COVID-19 pandemic further strained the economy and healthcare system, amplifying the discontent with the government’s handling of the crisis. Political polarization remains a significant issue, with the country deeply divided between supporters of Morales’ Movement for Socialism (MAS) party and their opponents. This polarization has led to ongoing protests, clashes, and instability.
Arce is embroiled in a bitter power struggle with Morales, who helped elect him in 2020. Arce served as Morales’s finance minister and replaced him as the MAS candidate after Morales – the country’s longest-¬serving democratically elected leader – was ousted in 2019 amid accusations of electoral fraud, which he denied.
Both men have said they plan to seek the presidency in next year’s election for the MAS. Morales was among the first to condemn the apparent coup attempt.
Morales has vowed to run against Arce in 2025, a prospect that has rattled Arce, whose popularity has plunged as the country’s foreign currency reserves dwindle, its natural gas exports plummet and its currency peg to the U.S. dollar collapses.
What is clear is that Bolivia is in dire need of stability.