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Last Wednesday witnessed Bolivia’s failed coup attempt to overthrow the country’s government. The coup lasted a few hours, but its impact was huge. Police have arrested a Bolivian general accused of starting a coup against the current government.
In the failed coup attempt, Bolivia’s army general Juan José Zúñiga attempted to storm the presidential palace on Wednesday. As a result, the government dismissed the army general as a commander of Bolivia’s army.
Bolivia’s Failed Coup: Here’s How It Happened
On Wednesday, military units led by the army general occupied the main square in the world’s biggest city, La Paz. They attempted to storm the presidential palace, as armored vehicles rammed the police and soldiers tried to break into government offices.
As a result, President Luis Arce called on the public of Bolivia to “organize and mobilize” in defense of democracy. The president had said, “We need the Bolivian people to organize and mobilize against the coup and in favor of democracy.” The people obeyed and came in.
The president was seen confronting the army general in the presidential palace hallway. The president ordered the general to withdraw his soldiers and stand down. The police soon handcuffed the army general and took him. A triumphant Arce then raised his clenched fist to the huge crowds that obeyed his calling and came to the presidential palace.
The president’s clenched fist signaled the defeat of the failed coup led by the army general. Later, Edmundo Novillo told the news conference that the government had regained “total and absolute control” over its military. He added, “We urge the population that everything goes back to normal.”
A Statement That Shocked Everyone
The general said something that raised everyone’s eyebrows: The general said he did the coup on the president’s order. Here’s what the general said, “The president told me: “The situation is very screwed up, very critical. It is necessary to prepare something for my popularity. The general asked the president if he should take out the armed forces, and the president replied, “Take them out.”