Sucre [Bolivia], Bolivian President Luis Arce thanked the people after an 'attempted coup' in which armored vehicles crashed into the gates of the government palace failed on Wednesday (local time), Al Jazeera reported.
Bolivian authorities arrested the army's outgoing commanding general, Juan José Zúñiga, after troops withdrew from the square and the newly appointed army chief, José Wilson Sánchez, ordered all mobilized troops to return to their barracks.
Troops led by Army Commander General Juan José Zúñiga began to withdraw from the area around the presidential palace, after Arce called on the country to "defend democracy" and fired Zúñiga along with the heads of the navy and the Air Force.
"Many thanks to the Bolivian people," Arce said. "Long live democracy".
Armed soldiers gathered around Plaza Murillo, a main plaza in La Paz where the national executive and legislative offices are located, CNN reported.
Bolivian television images showed Arce in front of Zúñiga in the palace hallway.
"I am his captain and I order you to remove his soldiers and I will not allow this insubordination," Arce said.
On the social media platform
https://x.com/LuchoXBolivia/status/1806039196781666727
The newly appointed army chief, José Wilson Sánchez, ordered all mobilized troops to return to their barracks, stating that "no one wants the images we are seeing in the streets," Al Jazeera reported.
The prosecutor's office said it opened a criminal investigation into those responsible for the failed attack against the government.
Former Bolivian President Evo Morales also denounced the incident. Morales, who publicly separated from his former ally Arce, also called on "the social movements of the countryside and the city to defend democracy."
Morales resigned in 2019 following growing protests over allegations of election fraud; At the time, he claimed he was forced to resign in a coup, CNN reported.
Latin American leaders and organizations also expressed alarm about the effort on Wednesday, with officials from countries including Brazil, Mexico, Cuba, Chile, Peru, Honduras, Paraguay and Colombia denouncing the military's measures as an attack on democracy.
A White House spokesperson said the United States urges calm and restraint and that the Biden administration is following developments, Al Jazeera reported.
"We condemn the events in Bolivia. The army must submit to the legitimately elected civil power," said Luis Almagro, leader of the Organization of American States (OAS), following the news that a tank had crashed into the gates of the national palace. , clearing the way for the soldiers to enter.
Bolivian authorities arrested the army's outgoing commanding general, Juan José Zúñiga, after troops withdrew from the square and the newly appointed army chief, José Wilson Sánchez, ordered all mobilized troops to return to their barracks.
Troops led by Army Commander General Juan José Zúñiga began to withdraw from the area around the presidential palace, after Arce called on the country to "defend democracy" and fired Zúñiga along with the heads of the navy and the Air Force.
"Many thanks to the Bolivian people," Arce said. "Long live democracy".
Armed soldiers gathered around Plaza Murillo, a main plaza in La Paz where the national executive and legislative offices are located, CNN reported.
Bolivian television images showed Arce in front of Zúñiga in the palace hallway.
"I am his captain and I order you to remove his soldiers and I will not allow this insubordination," Arce said.
On the social media platform
https://x.com/LuchoXBolivia/status/1806039196781666727
The newly appointed army chief, José Wilson Sánchez, ordered all mobilized troops to return to their barracks, stating that "no one wants the images we are seeing in the streets," Al Jazeera reported.
The prosecutor's office said it opened a criminal investigation into those responsible for the failed attack against the government.
Former Bolivian President Evo Morales also denounced the incident. Morales, who publicly separated from his former ally Arce, also called on "the social movements of the countryside and the city to defend democracy."
Morales resigned in 2019 following growing protests over allegations of election fraud; At the time, he claimed he was forced to resign in a coup, CNN reported.
Latin American leaders and organizations also expressed alarm about the effort on Wednesday, with officials from countries including Brazil, Mexico, Cuba, Chile, Peru, Honduras, Paraguay and Colombia denouncing the military's measures as an attack on democracy.
A White House spokesperson said the United States urges calm and restraint and that the Biden administration is following developments, Al Jazeera reported.
"We condemn the events in Bolivia. The army must submit to the legitimately elected civil power," said Luis Almagro, leader of the Organization of American States (OAS), following the news that a tank had crashed into the gates of the national palace. , clearing the way for the soldiers to enter.
