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In photos: this was how the military took over the central square of La Paz in Bolivia

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By BBC News World

Jun 26, 2024, 8:43 PM EDT

Bolivia experienced hours of uncertainty this Wednesday after a group of soldiers mobilized in the center of La Paz, something that President Luis Arce described as an attempted “coup d’état.”

Soldiers and military vehicles took control of the Plaza Murillo in La Paz for a few hours, and entered the Quemado Palace, headquarters of the government, led by General Juan José Zúñiga, who this Tuesday had been dismissed as head of the Bolivian Army for some statements that he had made about former president Evo Morales.

After the military’s actions began, President Arce gave a televised speech surrounded by members of his cabinet in which he called for the mobilization of the people and said: “We are firm to confront any coup attempt.”

“We want to urge everyone to defend democracy and here we are in Casa Grande with the entire cabinet, with our social organizations. We salute you, the social organizations, and we cordially invite you to once again show democracy to the Bolivian people,” said the president.

Later, in a televised ceremony from the Casa Grande del Pueblo, Arce appointed new military leaders. Among them is General José Wilson Sánchez, who assumed general command of the Army.

After taking the oath of office, the military man declared: “Nobody wants to see the image that we are seeing on the streets. That is why now, in my capacity as commander… I ask, I order, I order, that all personnel who are mobilized on the streets must return to their units”.

While this event was taking place at the government headquarters, the members of the army who had mobilized in the center of La Paz began to leave Plaza Murillo.

Getty Images: Armed forces soldiers fired gas on the crowd.
EPA: “We are going to recover this homeland,” said General Juan José Zúñiga from Murillo Square after it was taken by the military.
EPA: “An elite has taken over the country, vandals who have destroyed the country,” said General Zúñiga.
EPA: “The army intends to restore true democracy,” Zúñiga said.
Getty Images:
Getty Images:
Getty Images: Arce urged Bolivians to mobilize against a “coup d’état.”
EPA: “We need the Bolivian people to organize and mobilize against the coup d’état in favor of democracy,” Arce said in a televised message to the country with his ministers inside the presidential palace.
Reuters: “We cannot allow coup attempts to take the lives of Bolivians once again,” the president added.
Getty Images: Zúñiga had been dismissed as head of the Army on Tuesday after making statements against Evo Morales.
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BBC:

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