Bolivia's Political Overthrow: Why It's Not A Coup

Bolivia has a long history of military coups, with nearly 200 revolutions and coup attempts since it gained independence from Spain in 1825. The latest coup attempt in June 2024 involved the country's military chief, General Juan Jose Zuniga, leading rebel troops to occupy the main square of the capital, La Paz, and forcing their way into the presidential palace. This event has sparked debate about whether it can truly be classified as a coup, with some arguing that it was a hoax orchestrated by President Luis Arce to distract from economic issues and his political battle with former President Evo Morales. Others, including Morales himself, have called it a coup d'état. The situation was further complicated by the unusual circumstances of the mutiny, which ended without bloodshed and with the rebellious troops obeying the order to retreat from the new army commander appointed by Arce.

The coup was staged by the president to make him look strong and boost his popularity

Bolivia has a long history of military coups, with nearly 200 revolutions and coup attempts since gaining independence from Spain in 1825. The most recent coup attempt took place in June 2024, when the country's military chief, General Juan Jose Zuniga, led rebel troops to occupy the main square of the capital, La Paz, and force their way into the presidential palace. This event has sparked intense debate as to whether it was a legitimate coup attempt or a staged event.

Some have argued that the coup was staged by President Luis Arce to make him look strong and boost his popularity. This theory was put forward by Zuniga himself, who claimed that Arce had ordered a staged uprising to trigger a crackdown that would improve his public image. Zuniga's assertion was supported by the unusual circumstances surrounding the event, such as the live broadcast of the confrontation between Arce and Zuniga and the swift resolution of the conflict without any shots fired. The absence of the chief of the armed forces, Gonzalo Vigabriel Sánchez, during the chaos also raised suspicions.

However, there are counter-arguments to the notion that the coup was staged. The government of Bolivia has strongly denied the allegations, with minister Maria Nela Prada calling them "absolutely false." The claim that Arce orchestrated the coup to boost his popularity also seems contradictory, given the country's economic crisis and political instability at the time. Additionally, the presence of tanks and the occupation of the main square by rebel troops indicate a significant show of force, suggesting that the coup plotters had a genuine intention to seize power.

The debate surrounding the nature of the coup attempt remains unresolved, with experts and the general public offering differing interpretations of the events. While some see it as a political tactic by Arce to gain public support, others view it as a legitimate attempt to overthrow the government that ultimately failed. The true motives and intentions behind the coup attempt may never be definitively established, contributing to the ongoing political turmoil and polarization in Bolivia.

In conclusion, while it is possible that the coup was staged by President Arce to enhance his image, there are also valid arguments against this theory. The coup attempt adds another layer of complexity to Bolivia's tumultuous political history and highlights the ongoing discontent and polarization within the country.

The military was there to restructure democracy

Bolivia has a long history of military coups, with nearly 200 revolutions and coup attempts since gaining independence from Spain in 1825. The most recent attempt was in June 2024, when the country's military chief, General Juan Jose Zuniga, led rebel troops to occupy the main square of the capital, La Paz, and force their way into the presidential palace. This action was justified by Zuniga as a way to "restructure democracy" and make it a "true democracy" that is not run by the same few people for decades.

The military's involvement in the 2024 overthrow attempt can be understood in the context of Bolivia's political and economic turmoil at the time. There were rising tensions in the country due to surging prices, shortages of dollars and fuel, and a power struggle between President Luis Arce and former president Evo Morales ahead of the 2025 elections. The economic crisis was exacerbated by a drop in gas production, Bolivia's main source of foreign currency until 2023, leading to reduced fuel imports and protests by powerful unions.

The military's decision to intervene was likely influenced by their dissatisfaction with the political situation and their desire to address the growing discontent among the Bolivian people. Zuniga's statement about restructuring democracy indicates that the military saw itself as a force for democratic reform. However, it is important to note that Bolivia's history of coups and the unusual nature of this attempt, with no shots fired, have sparked debates about the legitimacy of the event.

The 2024 overthrow attempt ultimately failed, and Zuniga was arrested. The Bolivian government later broadcast a conversation between President Arce and Zuniga, where the latter refused to withdraw his troops. This incident further fueled speculation about the event, with some suggesting that it was a staged uprising orchestrated by Arce to boost his popularity. However, the government denied these claims.

The 2024 coup attempt highlights the complex political and social dynamics in Bolivia, where economic crises, power struggles, and historical precedents have contributed to a volatile situation. The military's involvement, justified as a way to restructure democracy, adds another layer of complexity to the country's ongoing challenges.

The military chief, General Juan Jose Zuniga, led the coup

On 26 June 2024, the commander of the Bolivian Army, General Juan José Zúñiga, led an attempted coup to overthrow President Luis Arce. Zúñiga, who had been appointed commander of the Bolivian Army in 2022, was removed from his role on 26 June 2024 after making inflammatory comments about the country's former president, Evo Morales.

Zúñiga led rebel troops to occupy the main square of the capital, La Paz, and dramatically drove an armoured vehicle into the presidential palace. He claimed that the army was there to “restructure democracy” and that he wanted to “recover the homeland”.

However, the coup attempt fell apart within hours as Arce named a new commander general of the army, who ordered the rebellious troops to retreat, and they obeyed. Zúñiga was arrested shortly afterwards.

Zúñiga's precise motivations for launching the coup remain unclear. However, in the lead-up to the coup, he made a series of political attacks against Morales, who had been forced out of office in 2019. Zúñiga also threatened to arrest Morales if he ran for office again in 2025, despite being barred from doing so.

Zúñiga's attempted coup caused widespread panic in Bolivia, with citizens withdrawing $29 million from bank accounts in a three-hour span and stocking up at supermarkets and gas stations.

The coup attempt also attracted international condemnation, with governments and organisations from across the political spectrum denouncing Zúñiga's actions.

The coup attempt fell apart within hours

Bolivia has a long history of military coups, with nearly 200 revolutions and coup attempts since gaining independence from Spain in 1825. The most recent attempt was in June 2024, when the country's military chief, General Juan Jose Zuniga, led rebel troops to occupy Plaza Murillo, the main square of the capital, La Paz. Zuniga's troops dramatically drove an armoured vehicle into the presidential palace in an attempt to force its door open.

However, the coup attempt fell apart within hours. President Luis Arce named a new commander general of the army, who ordered the rebellious troops to retreat — and they obeyed.

Zuniga's actions had caused panic among Bolivians, with citizens withdrawing $29 million from bank accounts in a three-hour span and stocking up at supermarkets and gas stations. But the swift failure of the coup attempt calmed tensions, and no shots were fired during the incident.

The coup plot took an unusual twist when Zuniga told reporters that Arce had ordered a staged uprising to trigger a crackdown and make him look strong, boosting his popularity. Arce's government denied these allegations, and Zuniga was arrested and faces up to 20 years in prison for terrorism and armed uprising.

The country's political instability and internal conflict within the ruling party

Bolivia has a long history of political instability and internal conflict within the ruling party. Since gaining independence in 1825, the country has experienced nearly 200 revolutions, coups, and coup attempts—the most of any country since 1950.

In 2019, Bolivia entered a state of political crisis when long-time president Evo Morales was accused of election fraud. Morales, who had been in power for 13 years, ignored the results of a 2016 referendum that banned him from running for president again and sought to extend his time in office beyond the two-term limit established in the 2009 constitution. Despite the referendum results, Morales's Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS) party appealed to the Constitutional Court, which approved his bid for re-election.

In October 2019, Morales was declared the winner of the presidential election. However, there were widespread allegations of electoral fraud, and the Organization of American States (OAS) found significant irregularities in the electoral process. This sparked civil protests and unrest, with demonstrators calling for more transparency and legitimacy in the political and electoral processes. Under pressure from the police, military, and protesters, Morales resigned and fled the country.

The conservative Jeanine Áñez, second vice president of the Senate, then assumed the role of interim president. Áñez's rise to power was controversial and met with protests, with demonstrators claiming that her right-wing government was persecuting political opponents. During her interim presidency, Áñez was accused of fuelling political polarisation and targeting supporters of Morales.

In October 2020, Luis Arce, a former minister under Morales, was elected as the new president. Arce's victory was met with dissatisfaction by citizens who opposed MAS, and the country remained divided. In June 2024, Arce's administration faced a coup attempt led by the military commander Juan José Zúñiga, who claimed he wanted to restructure democracy. The coup failed, but it highlighted the enduring political instability and profound divisions within Bolivia and MAS.

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