Eko Hot Blog reports that the heavy presence of soldiers emerging from armoured vehicles at Bolivia’s government palace on Wednesday has ignited fears of a coup attempt.
President Luis Arce warned that a coup would not be tolerated and called for “democracy to be respected.”
A TikTok post by Bolivia TV showed a group of soldiers and military police entering the government palace, with a military armoured vehicle parked in front.
In another video, Arce is seen confronting Juan Zúñiga, the leader of the rebellion.
“I am your captain, and I order you to withdraw your soldiers, and I will not allow this insubordination,” the president said.
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Reports had surfaced that the commander was set to be dismissed.
After surrounding Murillo Square, Zúñiga told journalists, “We are going to recover this homeland,” according to El Deber, a local newspaper.
“There will be a new cabinet of ministers; surely it will be changed, but our state cannot continue like this,” the colonel added.
Former President Evo Morales immediately offered support, stating that his supporters would mobilize to defend democracy.
Josep Borrell, the top diplomat of the European Union (EU), condemned “any attempt to disrupt the constitutional order in Bolivia and overthrow democratically elected governments.”
Borrell expressed the EU’s solidarity with the Bolivian government and people.
In a video statement, Arce, accompanied by his cabinet, urged citizens to mobilize against the “coup d’état” and in favour of democracy.
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