Bolivia general arrested after coup attempt

The coup attempt came amid an economic crisis exacerbated by tensions between Arce and ex-president Evo Morales

(Image credit: Ministry of Government of Bolivia / Anadolu via Getty Images)

published 27 June 2024

What happened

Former Bolivian military commander Gen. Juan José Zúñiga was arrested Wednesday night after leading what appeared to be a short-lived bid to unseat President Luis Arce. Zúñiga led soldiers and armored vehicles into La Paz's central Plaza Murillo and tried to occupy the presidential palace, but the soldiers pulled back after a newly installed army commander ordered them to return to their barracks.

"The armed forces intend to restore the democracy, to make it a true democracy," Zúñiga said in televised remarks after refusing Arce's face-to-face command to stand down. The apparent coup attempt came amid an economic crisis exacerbated by tensions between Arce and his former ally, leftist ex-president Evo Morales.

Arce celebrated his government's success in "pushing back this attempted coup," telling a crowd in Plaza Murillo that "the only ones who can remove us from here are you."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.