By Chicago Times Magazine –
June 27, 2024
On June 26, 2024, Bolivia narrowly avoided a major political crisis. In a dramatic turn of events, President Luis Arce thwarted an attempted coup led by a high-ranking military official.
Like many coup attempts, the day began with a tense scene in the capital city of La Paz. Disloyal troops led by General Juan Jose Zuniga, accompanied by armored vehicles and tanks, stormed the main square, Plaza Murillo, where the presidential palace and congress are located. Like a true barbarian, it has been said that one tank even attempted to breach the palace doors. How crude! What, no bazooka?
President Arce allegedly refused to back down. Video footage captured a tense standoff between Arce and Zuniga inside the palace (Won’t find that footage here, look for it yourself). Later, Arce, surrounded by government officials, addressed the nation urging Bolivians to defend the government.
Although it is unclear if both sides paused for lunch causing the attempted coup to remain unresolved for several hours. However, possibly after some refreshments, the situation shifted in which General Zuniga was reportedly placed under arrest, and President Arce announced the appointment of new military leadership. The newly appointed army chief, General José W. Sánchez allegedly ordered the troops involved to stand down and return to their barracks for some serious KP duty. That’s a lot of potatoes, folks.
The exact reasons behind Zuniga’s actions remain unclear. The General claimed he was acting to restore democracy, though the fragmented Bolivian opposition distanced themselves from the coup attempt. The incident comes amidst ongoing political tensions within the country, including a rift between Arce and former president Evo Morales. If you are still reading this, who knows, right?
President Arce addressed the nation following the failed coup, calling it a victory for the government. Calm has apparently returned to La Paz, where chicken nuggets are again being served at local fast food establishments.
Feature image: Gov’t. Palace, La Paz, Bolivia, National Photo Company Collection (Library of Congress) | Library of Congress
