An apparent failed coup attempt erupted in Bolivia after armoured vehicles rammed into the doors of the government palace and President Luis Arce said the country stood firm against attacks on democracy.
On Wednesday local time, Mr Arce warned an "irregular" deployment of troops was taking place in the capital, raising coup fears.
He called for “democracy to be respected" on social media.
Heavily armed soldiers and armoured vehicles were seen gathering in the capital's central Plaza Murillo, according to videos shared on social media.
General commander flanked by soldiers
Mr Arce confronted the general commander of the army — Juan José Zúñiga, who appeared to be leading the rebellion — in the palace hallway, saying: "I am your captain, and I order you to withdraw your soldiers, and I will not allow this insubordination."
Mr Zúñiga, confirmed the movement of uniformed officers and spoke to reporters in the square prior to the assault on the national palace.
"The three chiefs of the armed forces have come to express our dismay," he told a local TV station.
"There will be a new cabinet of ministers, surely things will change, but our country cannot continue like this any longer."
"Stop destroying, stop impoverishing our country, stop humiliating our army," he said in full uniform, flanked by soldiers, insisting the action being taken was supported by the public.
He said: "We are upset by the affront, enough is enough.
New heads announced and troops withdraw
Mr Arce said in a video message, surrounded by his cabinet, that he was standing firm against the attempted coup.
He announced new heads of the army, navy and air force — including the position of the army general commander, Mr Zúñiga, who appeared to be leading the rebellion.
New army chief José Wilson Sánchez ordered all mobilised troops to return to their barracks. "No one wants the images we're seeing in the streets," he said.
Mr Arce said that those who rose up against him were "staining the uniform." He vowed that democracy would be respected.
After Mr Arce appointed new military chiefs, armoured vehicles and soldiers began withdrawing from around the country's presidential palace.
Mr Arce said the day had been "atypical in the life of country that wants democracy." He decried what he called "an attempted coup by troops who are staining the uniform, who are attacking our constitution".
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Bolivia's public prosecutor's office says it will launch a criminal investigation against General Juan Jose Zúñiga and other participants for leading what the government and international leaders have condemned as an attempted coup.
Mr Zúñiga has been arrested since the failed coup.
Global reaction to armed forces mobilising in Bolivia
The incident was met with a wave of outrage by other regional leaders, including the Organization of American States; Gabriel Boric, the president of neighbouring Chile; Honduras's leader, and former Bolivian leaders.
Josep Borrell, European Union foreign policy chief said: "The European Union condemns any attempt to break the constitutional order in Bolivia and overthrow democratically elected governments, and expresses its solidarity with the Bolivian government and people."
Secretary General of the Organisation of American States Luis Almagro condemned the events.
"The General Secretariat of the OAS most strongly condemns the events in Bolivia," he said. "The Army must submit to the legitimately elected civil power."
"We express the strongest condemnation of the attempted coup d'etat in Bolivia," President of Mexico Andrés Manuel López Obrador said.
Spain was among countries to strongly condemn the action.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said: "Spain strongly condemns the military movements in Bolivia. We send the Bolivian government and its people our support and solidarity and call on them to respect democracy and the rule of law."
"We express our support for democracy in our brother country and to the legitimate government of Luis Arce… We cannot tolerate any breach of the legitimate constitutional order in Bolivia or anywhere else," president of Chile Gabriel Boric said.
Tensions build in Bolivia ahead of 2025 election
Bolivia, a country of 12 million people, has seen intensifying protests in recent months over the economy's precipitous decline from one of the continent's fastest-growing two decades ago to one of its most crisis-stricken.
Tensions have been building ahead of general elections in 2025, with leftist ex-President Evo Morales planning to run against former ally Mr Arce, creating a major rift in the ruling socialist party and wider political uncertainty.
Many do not want a return of Mr Morales, who governed from 2006-2019 when he was ousted amid widespread protests and replaced by an interim conservative government. Mr Arce then won election in 2020.
Mr Zúñiga said recently that Morales should not be able to return as president and threatened to block him if he attempted to, which led Mr Arce to remove Mr Zúñiga from his post.
Ahead of the attack on the presidential palace, Mr Zúñiga had addressed reporters in the square and cited growing anger in the landlocked country, which has been battling an economic slump with depleted central bank reserves and pressure on the boliviano currency as gas exports have dried up.
AP/Reuters
Posted, updated
