Why the recent coup attempt in Bolivia failed and the 2019 coup was consummated.
In 2019, the Bolivian government was isolated from the popular movements. The popular middle classes, manipulated by the coup plotters, won the streets in the absence of the social movements and peoples.
In 2024, the government of Luis Arce, after the recent apotheosic popular assemblies in which he participated, was connected with the popular sectors. And it was these sectors who immediately occupied the Plaza Murillo, cell phones in hand, before the violent entry of the military into the Government Palace to remove the president. There was no popular fear.
In 2019 the political equation was: demobilized peoples + mobilization of the “pititas” under the command of Luis Camacho + military insubordination + flight of the government = Consummation of the Coup d’Etat, followed by a year-long bloody dictatorship.
In 2024 the equation was: popular sectors in the streets + government of Luis Arce confronting the coup leaders with his “body” = failure of the coup attempt, coup leaders arrested and publicly presented as criminals by the legitimate authorities.
In 2019, the “self-isolated” government, frightened, deconvened the people and fled.
In 2024, the government, supported by popular sectors, exercised its authority, ordered the military to return to their barracks, ordered the arrest of the coup plotters.
An important lesson of this popular victory over the insubordinate military was the “unity in diversity” shown by the different political currents within the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) itself, which managed to demonstrate the depth of its political conscience.
Division Within the MAS Exposes Bolivia to the Threat of Imperialist Victory
INTERNATIONALIST 360° 