Javier Milei’s government replies that it is ‘cautious’ with Bolivia and that it only described the facts

The Government of Javier Milei replied on Monday that it is “extremely cautious” regarding the institutional situation in Bolivia and that the latest statement from the President’s Office, which led to the Bolivian Government summoning the Argentine ambassador to La Pazis “simply a description of the facts.”

“We do not believe that the statement will generate any conflict at all, because it is simply a description of the facts, of the different information that we are collecting, some of which, of course, you already know and others that reach us through the usual channels of the Government, that make us effectively understand that we must continue to take caution”presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni told reporters at a press conference at the executive headquarters.

“We are aware of the delicate institutional situation. We understand the existence of what are called political prisoners (…), where it is understood that there may have been some kind of lack of clarity in their trials or irregularities, and we are keeping an eye on the developments,” Adorni confirmed.

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The Bolivian government summoned the Argentine ambassador in La Paz, Marcelo Massoni, on Monday to express a “strong rejection” of the statement released on Sunday by the Office of the President of the Republic of Argentina that “repudiates the false accusation of a coup d’état made” by the president of Bolivia, Luis Arce.

The Bolivian Minister of the Presidency, Maria Nela Prada, acting this Monday as interim chancellor, announced at a press conference that she also called “in consultation” the Bolivian ambassador to Argentina, Ramiro Tapia, “so that he can be present in the seat of Government” of his country.

The Office of the President of the Republic of Argentina published a statement late on Sunday in which it repudiates “the false accusation of a coup d’état made by the Government” of Bolivia.

In the note he also accuses the Government of President Luis Arce of controlling the three branches of government and having more than “two hundred political prisoners.”including former interim president Jeanine Áñez and the governor of the department of Santa Cruz Luis Fernando Camacho, both prosecuted for the political and social crisis of 2019.

According to Milei’s government, Bolivian democracy “is in danger” but not because of the “attempted military coup,” but because “socialist governments are turning into dictatorships,” and compared the Andean country to “Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, North Korea.”

Last Wednesday, a group of heavily armed soldiers with tanks led by the dismissed military chief Juan José Zuñiga carried out an armed uprising against the headquarters of Luis Arce’s government. Hours later, the then commander retreated and was imprisoned.

Among those who have questioned the veracity of President Arce’s version of an “attempted coup d’état” are the former president and leader of the ruling Movement towards Socialism (MAS), Evo Morales (2006-2019), who pointed out that the Government faked a “self-coup”, for which he called Luis Arce a “liar”

EFE