General Zúñiga's Coup: Struggle over Bolivia's lithium resources

Editor's note: Russian military-political analyst, expert in the field of strategic security, specialist in the Middle East and Africa Vladimir Bekish. The article expresses the personal opinion of the author and may not coincide with the view of News.Az.

On June 26, the Bolivian army, under the command of the rebellious General Juan José Zúñiga, attempted a coup d'état  by occupying Murillo Square in the capital city of La Paz. Soldiers surrounded the official residence of President Luis Arce and attempted to storm it. An armored vehicle rammed the door of the presidential palace, and military forces burst inside.

The assault was led by General Juan José Zúñiga , who had recently been dismissed from his position as commander of the Bolivian army and land forces. In an interview with journalists, the general stated that his goal was the restoration of democracy and the liberation of political prisoners. "The armed forces intend to rebuild democracy, to make it real, and not something controlled by the same people for 30-40 years," Zúñiga emphasized.

President Luis Arce, a 60-year-old socialist politician who has been leading the country since November 2020, called on citizens to oppose the "coup d'état." Later, he announced the swearing-in of a new military command, appointing José Wilson Sánchez Velásquez as the new commander-in-chief. The new commander ordered the military to retreat from the presidential palace, and the soldiers left Murillo Square, which was then taken under control by the police.



The Bolivian Ministry of the Interior announced the arrest of General Zúñiga and the naval commander Juan Arnes Salvador, accusing them of armed rebellion and terrorism.

There is a theory that General Zúñiga, who led the coup attempt, acted in the interests of certain forces, possibly external, that decided to prevent Russia's influence in Bolivia following the visit of the current Bolivian president, Luis Arce, to Russia.

At the same time, General Zúñiga himself claims that it was President Arce who asked him to stage the coup in order to boost his popularity amidst not very successful economic processes and the general state of the country. However, part of the Bolivian military supported the "rebel" general, while another part strongly opposed him. Zúñiga also stated that he did not plan to seize power, but merely wanted to take the presidential palace, "make some noise," and then return to observing the oath.

It is worth noting that in the 200 years of Bolivia's existence, there have been 190 attempts of military rebellions and coups. In this sense, the military in Bolivia is a significant force.

However, according to most observers and analysts, the main reason for all this is lithium. Bolivia has large reserves of lithium, which is actively mined and exported. China and Russia are major players in this business in Bolivia. Lithium is essential today for the production of batteries and electric vehicles.

There is a belief that some forces and players are striving to cut off Russia and China from Bolivian lithium and take their place. In this context, it is suggested that the attempt to "put President Luis Arce in his place" was aimed at reducing China's influence rather than Russia's, as China is actively and successfully developing, producing, and supplying electric vehicles to the global market. It is known that there are other countries and manufacturers who are also involved in the production and sale of electric vehicles.

(If you possess specialized knowledge and wish to contribute, please reach out to us at opinions@news.az).

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