The Bolivian government experienced moments of anguish and tension this Wednesday afternoon after a military tank and armed troops, led by former commander General Juan José Zúñiga, forcibly entered the main executive headquarters in La Paz.
According to the criteria of
President Luis Arce and his vice president, David Choquehuanca, who were inside the Palace, denounced to the international community an “attempted coup d’état” and called on the people to mobilize to defend democracy.
In response to this situation, several former Latin American leaders publicly condemned the incident and expressed their solidarity with the Bolivian nation. These were some of their reactions:
Iván Duque, Mauricio Macri and Guillermo Lasso
The former president of Colombia, Iván Duque, published on his X account a letter signed by the members of the ‘Freedom and Democracy Group’which is made up of 14 former governors of the region, with the exception of Mariano Rajoy, former head of state of Spain.
We reiterate our firm support for the Bolivian people in their fight for the preservation of democracy and freedom
In the statement, the group of former leaders “strongly” condemned the attempted coup d’état and They described it as “a serious transgression of democratic principles and the constitutional order.”
Furthermore, they called on the international community to join this condemnation and take effective measures to ensure respect for the democratic mandate in Bolivia.
“We reiterate our firm support for the Bolivian people in their fight for the preservation of democracy and freedom, and we commit to continue working tirelessly in the defense of these fundamental values in our region,” concluded the group, made up of Guillermo Lasso – former president of Ecuador-, Mario Abdo Benítez -former president of Paraguay-, Mauricio Macri -former president of Argentina-, among others.
From the Freedom and Democracy Group we strongly condemn the attempted coup d’état in Bolivia. This violent act ordered by the General Commander of the Army, Juan José Zuñiga, is a serious transgression of democratic principles.
We demand the restoration… pic.twitter.com/twsrSMrAJm
— Iván Duque 🇨🇴 (@IvanDuque) June 26, 2024
‘A few years ago this would have been impossible’: Rafael Correa
The former president of Ecuador Rafael Correa (2007-2017), For his part, he assured that the failed military coup that occurred this Wednesday in Bolivia “would have been impossible a few years ago” considering that Democracy in Latin America has experienced a setback.
“How our America has gone backwards! A few years ago this would have been impossible. Yallalla Bolivia!” said the former progressive ruler, who has an affinity with the former president of Bolivia Evo Morales (2006-2019) and his political movement MAS, which in In 2020 he returned to power at the hands of the current ruler, Luis Arce.
How our America has gone backwards!
A few years ago this would have been impossible.
Jallalla Bolivia!✊🏽 https://t.co/PDhP5FEM92— Rafael Correa (@MashiRafael) June 26, 2024
Evo Morales calls for a social mobilization and hours later he suspends it
In a message thread on X, the former president of Bolivia, Evo Moralesdenounced that a group of the Challapata ‘Méndez Arcos Special Regiment “took over Plaza Murillo (where the Executive and Legislative headquarters are located) with snipers.”
“This seems to indicate that they prepared the Coup d’état in advance. I ask the people with a democratic vocation to defend the Homeland from some military groups that act against democracy and the people,” he added.
He also asked the Government of Luis Arce that in addition to the change of military commands “a criminal process must be immediately proceeded.”
Hours later, when the military withdrew from the square after the president changed the entire military command, Morales thanked the expressions of solidarity from presidents and political leaders around the world.
“After the withdrawal of a small group of military personnel who were in Murillo Square and calm having returned to the government headquarters, we are suspending the planned mobilizations,” he stated in his X account.
We appreciate all the expressions of solidarity and support for Bolivian democracy expressed by presidents, political and social leaders of the world. We are convinced that democracy is the only way to resolve any difference and that the…
— Evo Morales Ayma (@evoespueblo) June 26, 2024
Arce thanks Bolivia and the international community for rejecting ‘coup attempt’
For its part, The Bolivian president thanked the Bolivian people and the international community on Wednesday night for their rejection of the “coup attempt” against his Government and reiterated the defense of the country’s democracy.
“We salute and express our most sincere gratitude to our social organizations and to all the Bolivian people, who took to the streets and expressed themselves through different media, expressing their rejection of the coup attempt, which all it does is damage the image of Bolivian democracy at the international level and generate unnecessary uncertainty at times when Bolivians need to work to move the country forward,” he expressed on his social networks.
We greet and express our most sincere gratitude to our social organizations and to all the Bolivian people, who took to the streets and expressed themselves through different media, expressing their rejection of the coup attempt, which the only thing that… pic.twitter.com/Szlh4X1j1H
— Luis Alberto Arce Catacora (Lucho Arce) (@LuchoXBolivia) June 27, 2024
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