Bolivia’s democratically eleted president, Luis Arce Catacora.
Stand with Bolivia’s People and Democracy:
Tell the Biden Administration to Break its Silence
on the Attempted Military Coup in Bolivia!
Alliance for Global Justice (AfGJ)
LA PAZ (June 26, 2024) — Alliance for Global Justice strongly condemns the attempted military coup in Bolivia and commends the Arce Administration for its swift action to restore popular democracy
Alliance for Global Justice congratulates the Arce Administration for its swift action to restore popular democracy in Bolivia just hours after its National Army surrounded the Palacio Quemado with tanks and armored vehicles during a Cabinet meeting, calling for the resignation of the President and the entire Cabinet. The effort was led by Commander Juan José Zúñiga Macías, now under arrest, who had also made a series of threats against former president Evo Morales.
Popular movements quickly took to the streets en masse across the country to defend Bolivia’s democracy, shouting “LUCHO is not alone!” and “stop the coup d’état!” Their cry was met with resounding agreement from both President Arce and former president Evo Morales, both of whom denounced the attack on Bolivia’s democracy.
“We denounce irregular mobilizations of some units of the Bolivian Army. Democracy must be respected,” said President Arce, who over the last six months has been denouncing the possibility of a coup attempt against his administration, on X.
Meanwhile, Evo Morales called on social movements of the countryside and the city to mobilize in defense of democracy. Vice President David Choquehuanca pronounced that “we denounce that a Group of the Special Regiment of Challapata ‘Mendez Arcos’ took the Plaza Murillo with snipers,” suggesting that the administration was already preparing for such a coup.
The coup has been denounced by MAS leadership, social movements and the international community alike. Even the European Union condemned “any attempt to break constitutional order in Bolivia and overthrow democratically elected governments.”
Perhaps unsurprisingly, no public statement has been made by the Biden Administration. This mirrors the silence of the United States during the 2019 coup attempt against former president Evo Morales. It should be noted that one of the top commanders behind the 2019 coup attempt in Bolivia had participated in the US-sponsored APALA police exchange program.
Interestingly, General Juan Jose Zuñga said before Bolivia TV, “we are going to free all the political prisoners,” including US-backed politicians Luis Fernando Camacho and Jeanine Áñez, as well as the soldiers who rebelled in the 2019 coup attempt, which only further suggests that what took place was a far-right coup attempt with possible connections to the US State Department.
Alliance for Global Justice calls on social movements in defense of human rights, peace and democracy to be attentive to what is happening in Bolivia and call on their governments to denounce any rogue attacks on Bolivia’s democracy.
THE MESSAGE
Dear President Biden and Vice President Harris:
I stand with the people and government of Bolivia as well as the international community in denouncing the attempted military coup and attack on Bolivia’s democracy under the leadership of former Commander Juan José Zúñiga Macías.
As a defender of peace, human rights and self-determination, I oppose any rogue attempt to undermine the popular will and self-governance of the Bolivian people.
While leaders of the world have denounced this baseless and violent attack, the United States has remained silent. I demand that the Biden Administration break its silence and not alienate itself from the international community by refusing to affirm its respect for Bolivia’s democracy.
