Bolivian President Luis Arce Catacora warned on Wednesday that an “irregular” deployment of troops was taking place in the capital, La Paz, raising concerns that a potential coup was underway.
He called for “democracy to be respected” in a message on his Twitter account, which came as Bolivian television showed two tanks and a number of military personnel in front of the government palace.
Presidential Minister María Nela Prada said military and tanks were taking over Plaza Murillo in La Paz, calling it an “attempted coup d’état.” She stated that the people are “on alert to defend democracy,” according to local television station Red Uno.
The general commander of the army, Juan José Zúñiga, present in the same square, confirmed that there was a movement of uniformed officers, and said: “We are upset by the affront, enough is enough.” Without giving further details of what he was referring to, he spoke on television of “attacks on democracy.”