Suspected Leaders Of Failed Bolivian Coup Remanded In Custody
Suspected Leaders Of Failed Bolivian Coup Remanded In Custody
In an unusual twist, Zuniga claimed he was following Arce’s orders and that the president had hoped for the coup to trigger a crackdown that would boost his popularity.
due to a drop in natural gas production, its main source of foreign currency until 2023.
The country has had to reduce fuel imports, and there is a shortage of dollars, which has triggered protests by powerful unions of merchants and freight transporters.
Gustavo Flores-Macias, a professor of government at Cornell University in New York state, told AFP the failed coup was “a symptom of a significant and broad discontent” in the country.
For now, “we must carefully evaluate how widespread the discontent is within the armed forces,” he said, adding that Arce’s government was facing “a critical moment of weakness.”
Bolivia is also deeply polarized after years of political instability, and the ruling Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) party is riven by internal conflict between supporters of Arce and his former mentor Morales.
