In a message on social networks, the Secretary General of this group, Saul Méndez, expressed his solidarity with the people and government of constitutional President Luis Arce, the mass organizations, the Movement Towards Socialism party and former President Evo Morales’ failed coup the previous day.
He emphasized in his book, “It is time to continue defeating fascists with or without uniform, and now more than ever unite to defeat the far right, its tentacles in the armed forces, its fascist political parties, and its imperial masters from the north.” message.
According to reports, yesterday Bolivian General Juan José Zúñiga, former army commander, arrived with three commanders to seize Casa del Pueblo (the seat of government).
This action, with the aim of changing the current administration, continued for more than five hours amid resistance from the population in defense of democracy and strong condemnation from a large number of chiefs of the region.
Thwarting this measure with people mobilizing in the streets, Arce appointed a new military high command, Chief of Defense Edmundo Novello, who ordered the troops to return to their barracks.
Hours later, the minister confirmed that he has full and absolute control over the armed forces and that they will develop investigation procedures.
According to Novello, these riots were planned, and in addition to Zuniga, former commander of the Bolivian Navy, former Vice Admiral Juan Arnaiz, and former commander of the Bolivian Air Force Marcelo Zegarra intervened.
The senior officer said the reason for the troops’ action was the dismissal of Zúñiga over an interview broadcast by the PAT television network in which he expressed deliberative standards from a political point of view, and even threatened to arrest former President Morales.
M/J
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