Armored Vehicles Ram Bolivia's Government Palace in Failed Coup Attempt; President Arce Stands Firm

Supporters of President Luis Arce chase soldiers as they flee from Plaza Murillo, after a failed coup attempt in La Paz, Bolivia, Wednesday, June 26, 2024.

In an apparent coup attempt, armored vehicles rammed the doors of Bolivia’s government palace on Wednesday, but President Luis Arce remained resolute, quickly appointing a new army commander who ordered the troops to stand down.

Following the order, soldiers and military vehicles withdrew as hundreds of Arce’s supporters filled the square outside the palace, waving Bolivian flags, singing the national anthem, and cheering.

Bolivian President Luis Arce raises a clenched fist surrounded by supporters and media, outside the government palace in La Paz, Bolivia, Wednesday, June 26, 2024.

Surrounded by his ministers, Arce addressed the crowd: "Thank you to the Bolivian people. Let democracy live on."

Hours later, General Juan José Zúñiga, suspected to be the mastermind behind the rebellion, was arrested. Before his arrest, Zúñiga claimed that Arce had instructed him to stage the assault to boost his popularity. "The president told me: 'The situation is very screwed up, very critical. It is necessary to prepare something to raise my popularity,'" Zúñiga stated.

Justice Minister Iván Lima denied Zúñiga’s allegations, accusing the general of lying to justify his actions. Lima announced that prosecutors would seek a maximum sentence of 15 to 20 years in prison for Zúñiga "for having attacked democracy and the Constitution."

A soldier gestures for journalists to leave the presidential palace in Bolivia on Wednesday, Jume 26, 2024

The attempted rebellion followed months of economic hardship and growing protests, as political tensions between Arce and his former ally, ex-President Evo Morales, intensified. Despite the turmoil, the coup attempt appeared to lack substantial support, with even Arce’s political rivals uniting to defend democracy.

The spectacle shocked Bolivians, who have endured political unrest, including the ousting of Morales in 2019. As military vehicles swarmed the plaza on Wednesday, Zúñiga addressed journalists, hinting at a possible new government while claiming to recognize Arce as commander in chief.

Soldiers block the street in front of the presidential palace, right, and the legislative assembly, left, in Plaza Murillo in La Paz, Bolivia, Wednesday, June 26, 2024

Confronting Zúñiga in the palace hallway, Arce ordered the general to withdraw his soldiers, asserting his authority: "I am your captain, and I order you to withdraw your soldiers, and I will not allow this insubordination."

Arce subsequently announced new heads of the army, navy, and air force, thanking the police and regional allies for their support. Newly appointed army chief José Wilson Sánchez instructed the mobilized troops to return to their units, denouncing those who participated in the coup attempt.

Soldiers stand amid tear gas they fired outside the presidential palace in Plaza Murillo in La Paz, Bolivia on Wednesday, June 26, 2024

The armored vehicles and soldiers soon vacated the plaza, as police in riot gear set up blockades outside the government palace. The incident provoked outrage from regional leaders, including the Organization of American States, Chilean President Gabriel Boric, the leader of Honduras, and former Bolivian leaders.

Bolivia, a nation of 12 million people, has faced intensifying protests due to its economic decline and a high-profile rift within the ruling Movement for Socialism (MAS) party between Arce and Morales. Amid the chaos, Bolivians began stocking up on food and essentials, fearing further instability.

Addressing supporters, Vice President David Choquehuanca declared: "Never again will the Bolivian people permit coup attempts."