Bolivia Evades Military Coup Attempt, Top General Arrested for Trying to Topple Government
Bolivia has evaded a military coup attempt after the country’s president, Luis Acre, tried to maintain decorum by arresting Bolivian Army General Juan Jose Zuniga. Zuniga was allegedly behind the coup attempt and even led troops and tanks to barge the presidential palace in the capital.
The 60-year-old Bolivian president has faced obstacles in managing the US dollar shortage, which gave rise to inflation in the country.
Notably, Bolivia is also home to a staggering 21 million tons of lithium reserves, the largest on the planet.
The country had also recently cut ties with the Israeli regime for its ongoing onslaught in Gaza which has now killed almost 40,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, since Oct. 7, 2023.
Army commander Zuniga accused Arce’s government of “impoverishing” the country, using that as a pretext to stage a coup since the country has struggled with the US Dollar Shortage.
According to the IMF, Bolivia is projecting growth at 1.6 percent.
Under Arce’s presidency, the country has also faced political unrest with right-wing forces causing deadly strikes in provinces – such as Santa Cruz – against Arce’s government’s decisions.
Iran has criticized the failed coup attempt in Bolivia, emphasizing on the need for order and law to be restored in the South American country.
“We condemn the coup against the foundations of democracy as well as the attack on democratic institutions and the legal government in Bolivia,” Nasser Kanani – the spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry – said on Thursday, June 27.
Bolivia’s top general has since been arrested after attempting to topple the government as crowds took to the streets to defend their democracy.
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