Bolivia once had a reputation as perhaps the most coup-ridden country in the world, so the news this morning that troops had stormed its presidential palace and promised a change in the direction of government might have seemed like a return to form. But their leader, General Juan José Zúñiga, turned out to have less support than he obviously hoped. He has now been dismissed and is under arrest, facing a criminal investigation.
President Luis Arce held his nerve and called for the people to “organise and mobilise” to support democracy. So did former president Evo Morales, whose recent relationship with Arce has been poor, even though both of them come from the far left. And it was not just Bolivia’s allies that came out in support; the United States, whose hand has been behind many coups in the past, also condemned the uprising.
And so Zúñiga’s support evidently melted away, although details are uncertain. He may have counted on backing from other officers that didn’t materialise, or he may have been unwilling to risk a bloodbath once it became clear that the civilians would not give in easily.
The harmony between Arce and Morales is unlikely to last; both intend to run in next year’s presidential election, and Zúñiga seemed particularly energised by the thought of Morales’s return to power. But although he has made questionable decisions, including the prosecution and imprisonment of his predecessor, Jeanine Áñez, it’s impossible to question Arce’s democratic mandate: he won a landslide in an election organised by his political opponents.
The age of the military coup is certainly not over; West Africa has experienced a rash of them in the last couple of years, and closer to home the military overthrew Myanmar’s government in 2021. But democratisation in South America has proved more durable – an achievement that’s well worth celebrating.
The World is Not Enough 