LA PAZ, June 26 (Marca English) – Bolivia is currently facing the most serious crisis in its history under the leadership of the incumbent leftist President Luis Arce. Vehicles of the Bolivian army have stormed the entrance to the presidential palace, triggering a coup by General Juan José Zúñiga, who was recently stripped of command of the armed forces and demanded their dissolution. These forces appear to be loyal to the general, and as a result of this situation, a confrontation has arisen between the army and the Bolivian police. At the presidential palace, Arce spoke to the media, who were allowed to denounce this attempt at this moment in the country's history.
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The footage of military vehicles storming the palace has already gone viral around the world. President Arce later confirmed that his own military forces arrested the general after realizing he was trying to overthrow the sitting president. The coup did not last long as military officials were able to see through the general's intentions. President Arce said: “Today the country faces an attempted coup. Today the country faces interests that once again threaten to cut short Bolivian democracy. Today the Bolivian people are called. It is necessary for the Bolivian people to organize and rally against the coup and for democracy.”
As tensions rise in Bolivia heading into the 2025 general elections, former leftist President Evo Morales' plans to run against his former ally Arce have created a major rift between the two opposition parties. While Morales still has a lot of influence in the country, the majority of the population did not want Evo to be re-elected. Given that both are leftists, their presidential race would be one-sided, something Zúñiga was not happy about. In a recent statement, the general denounced Morales' possible reelection bid, which was enough to get Morales removed from his position by Arce himself. Although the crisis has been temporarily averted, Bolivia is still in a major economic crisis.
