Yesterday, General Juan José Zuñiga and other military allies surrounded the government palace in Plaza Murillo in La Paz an apparent attempt to oust President Luis Arce. (New York Times). The coup attempt came after Zuñiga commented that former president Evo Morales should not be allowed to run again for president in 2025, a comment which prompted Arce to remove Zuñiga from his post.
After a few hours and a face-to-face meeting between Zuñiga and Arce on the steps of the government palace, Zuñiga was detained and Arce named new military commanders. The New York Times reported that, “Just before his arrest, General Zuñiga claimed, without providing evidence, that Mr. Arce had asked him to stage the coup attempt.” Regional and global leaders, including Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Mexico’s Andrés Manuel López Obrador condemned the coup attempt and expressed support for the legitimacy of Arce’s presidency.
An investigation was opened into General Zuñiga by the Attorney General’s office on Wednesday evening, according to AP.
“Even though the president did the right thing and managed the entire coup attempt quite well, the fact it occurred will hang as another black mark on Bolivia's reputation as a politically unstable country,” wrote James Bosworth at the Latin America Risk Report.
Reuters noted the increased tensions ahead of Bolivia’s presidential elections in 2025, where current President Arce and former president Evo Morales, former allies who have since had their fair share of disagreements, are both vying for the candidacy of the MAS party.
Brazil
The Brazilian Supreme Court announced it would decriminalize the possession of marijuana for personal use, reports AP. It is the largest nation to take this position, though it is unclear how the decision will affect existing convictions of those serving prison sentences for marijuana possession, says the New York Times.
Argentina
The Milei administration’s goal to boost up the country’s foreign reserves appears to be stalling, says Bloomberg. The central bank is increasingly needing to spend dollars in order to control fluctuations in the value of the peso.
Yesterday, the trial into the attempted assassination of former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner began. The three defendants are being tried for “attempted aggravated homicide” after holding a gun to the then-vice president’s face and pulling the trigger, though the loaded gun did not fire. (Buenos Aires Times)
Mexico
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), following the massive electoral win of his successor Claudia Sheinbaum, is seeking to round out the final months of his term with widespread controversial constitutional reforms, reports Bloomberg. Sheinbaum has also indicated that she plans to move forward with these efforts. Mexico’s opposition seems unable to band together to present a unified front against the proposed changes.
Chile
Recent rainfall in Chile has refilled previously-empty reservoirs and lagoons, reactivating businesses and small vendors who had lost their jobs following long-term droughts. (Reuters)
SQM, a Chilean mining company, announced it would advance with picking direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies by next year to advance lithium production in the country while reducing water-wasting evaporation ponds, says Reuters.
El Salvador
Heavy rains in El Salvador over the weekend resulted in the deaths of at least seven people, according to ABC. The government declared a state of emergency and closed schools for part of the week in preparation for additional rainfall.
Critter Corner
The 2016 peace deal between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the government has allowed much of Colombia’s countryside, previously occupied by anti-government guerillas, to be made accessible to scientists and bird watchers who want to observe many of the country’s native bird species, like the Andean cock-of-the-rock. (New York Times).