Bolivian president raises coup fears amid ‘irregular’ military deployment

Armoured vehicles rammed into the doors of Bolivia’s government palace as a top government official warned of a coup attempt and President Luis Arce said “irregular” deployment of troops was taking place in the capital.

He called for “democracy to be respected” in a message on his X account as Bolivian television showed two tanks and a number of military in front of the government palace in La Paz.

Former Bolivian president Evo Morales, also in a message on X, denounced the movement of the military in the Murillo square outside the palace, calling it a coup “in the making”.

A soldier gestures for journalists to leave Plaza Murillo (Juan Karita/AP)

The general commander of the Army, Juan Jose Zuniga, present in the same square, confirmed the movement of uniformed officers and said: “We are upset by the affront, enough is enough.”

He spoke on television of “attacks on democracy,” without elaborating.

María Nela Prada, minister of the presidency and a top Bolivian officials, said military and tanks were taking over the plaza, calling it an “attempted coup d’etat”.

“The people are on alert to defend democracy,” she said to local television station Red Uno.