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Tipsheet

Well, That's One Way to Describe a Military Coup

AP Photo/Juan Karita

This post has been updated.

As Biden’s team is likely preparing what combination of performance-enhancing drugs to inject into the president ahead of Thursday night’s debate with Donald Trump, Bolivia appears to be in chaos. There might be a political leadership change in the coming hours as military forces attempt to storm the presidential palace in La Paz. President Luis Arce warned of “irregular” troop deployments in the capital. That’s quite a way of saying a coup was in progress (via BBC): 

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Bolivia's presidential palace has been rammed by an armoured vehicle, with soldiers reportedly storming the inside as the country's ex-president warned of an unfolding "coup". 

President Luis Arce demanded democracy be "respected", while former president Evo Morales accused General Juan José Zúñiga of planning to seize power, calling on supporters to strike and block roads.

The El Deber newspaper quoted Gen Zúñiga as telling reporters from Murillo Square after it was taken by troops: "We are going to recover this homeland."

But President Arce denounced what he called "irregular" troop movements, saying "democracy must be respected". 

In more pointed language, Mr Morales wrote: “A group of the Challapata Special Regiment ‘Mendez Arcos’ took over Plaza Murillo with snipers. 

"This seems to indicate that they prepared the coup d'état in advance.

"I ask democratically-minded people to defend the homeland from certain military groups that act against democracy and the people."

Bolivian minister Maria Nela Prada published a video on her Facebook account showing the view from a window in a government building. 

She said she was witnessing a “coup attempt”. 

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We'll keep you updated. 

UPDATE: The coup has been defeated, with President Arce re-establishing control and placing Gen. Zuniga under arrest (via NYT):

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After trying to storm the presidential palace in Bolivia on Wednesday, members of the country’s military, led by a top general, quickly retreated in an apparent failed attempt at a coup.

Video on Bolivian television showed security forces in riot gear occupying the main square in the administrative capital, La Paz, a camouflaged military vehicle ramming a palace door and soldiers trying to make their way into the palace.

Then, just as quickly as they had appeared, the general, Juan José Zuñiga disappeared, and his supporters in the armed forces pulled back and were replaced by police officers supporting the country’s democratically elected president, Luis Arce.

[...]

In all, the attempted afternoon incursion into the palace lasted just three hours. As the hours wore on, it became clear that General Zuñiga’s plan had little support and he was later taken into custody.


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