On Wednesday afternoon, troops led by army general commander Juan Jose Zuniga had stormed the presidential palace and taken up positions in the square outside. News reports indicated a tank slammed the palace doors. But within hours, Zuniga urged the soldiers to withdraw after the leaders from the neighbouring Latin American countries strongly decried the move as anti-democratic and the regional leaders and the trade unions came out in support of the President Arce.

The beleaguered President hailed the withdrawal as a victory for Bolivia’s democracy and addressed the country’s citizens in the aftermath, some of whom had taken to the streets in protest of the alleged coup attempt. Bolivian people were glued to the television throughout the day and the evening as the footage showed the marching of the troops, confrontation between the President and the army commander Zuniga and finally the withdrawal of the troops.

Latest reports indicate that Zuniga was arrested by the Government but indications are there that this would not mean the end of the present crisis as many other army officers loyal to the ruling party are questioning the performance of the Arce presidency. The worsening economic crisis has strengthened the hands of those who are pitted against the President in the ruling party MAS.

Since taking office in 2020, President Arce has led an embattled government, fending off pressure from both the other wing of the left and the right.

Under his leadership, right-wing forces in provinces like Santa Cruz have led deadly strikes against measures they believe are designed to keep them from power. Just last year, a prominent opposition leader, Luis Fernando Camacho, was arrested for his alleged role in 2019’s political arrest. As regards the left, President Arce faces pushback from his former political mentor ex president Evo Morales who has made known his desire to be presidential candidate in 2025 elections leading to split in the ruling party MAS.

Adding to the political turmoil has been nationwide fuel shortages and a financial crisis that has seen its currency reserves crater. Further President Arce’s popularity is sliding, his approval ratings was at the level of 38 per cent in a recent opinion poll. This was much lower than the approval rating of former president Evo Morales. The big fight between the present president and his former mentor has contributed to some extent to the latest political crisis.

Zuniga was Arce’s hand-picked leader for Bolivia’s military. But as he entered the presidential palace on Wednesday, Zuniga cited the malaise in the country as a motivation. “The three chiefs of the armed forces have come to express our dismay. There will be a new cabinet of ministers. Surely things will change, but our country cannot continue like this any longer,” Zuniga told a local TV station. “Stop destroying, stop impoverishing our country, stop humiliating our army.”

The general added that he would continue to recognise Arce as the commander-in-chief “for now”. But he explained that his aim was to “restore democracy” and “free political prisoners”. Former President Morales also denounced the military’s actions, calling for criminal prosecution against Zuniga and anyone who helped him. “We will not allow the armed forces to violate democracy and intimidate people,” he said.

Even the right-wing leader who replaced Morales, former President Jeanine Anez, rejected the military’s advances. “Total repudiation of the military mobilisation in the Plaza Murillo, attempting to destroy the constitutional order,” she wrote on the social media platform X, adding that Arce “must leave through the vote in 2025”.

Bolivia has had a long history of political turmoil since it gained independence in 1825. Of all the South American nations, Bolivia is considered the one that has experienced the most coups. But it enjoyed a very long period of democracy until the 2019 coup when the then president Evo Morales was overthrown. (IPA Service)