Evo Morales Warns of Latent Danger of Coup in Bolivia

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The former Bolivian president, Evo Morales, ousted in 2019, warned of the latent risk of a coup d’etat and asked his followers to debate how to take care of President Luis Arce and the process of change.

Morales made the warning at an assembly of the leadership of the Movement for Socialism (MAS) party, which he leads, and the six federations of coca leaf growers in the Chapare territory, in the central department (province) of Cochabamba.

‘The question of a coup is still present, it is an ideological, programmatic struggle, it is a cultural, social, communal and, of course, an electoral struggle,’ he stated at the MAS political and organic evaluation meeting, which will outline its objectives for next year.

He pointed out that the meeting should debate “how we are going to take care of Lucho (Luis Arce) president, David (Choquehuanca) vice president and how to defend the process of change.”

Moreover, “we should deeply debate the new military and police doctrine, what the role of police, the Armed Forces are going to be,’ he said, claiming that the then Chief of the Armed Forces, General Sergio Orellana, tried to prevent Luis Arce from assuming the presidency, some days prior to the inauguratiom ceremony.

Orellana was not successful because “some soldiers behaved very well, another day I will talk about names,” added Morales, who ruled the country for 14 years until forced to resign in November 2019 after allegations of electoral fraud.

“I am also convinced that in the Armed Forces there are not only people who respect and admire the MAS, but there are also anti-imperialist soldiers, (although) there are not many,” he said.

He also stated that “the other struggle we have is to debate, to see what is done with those subject to the US empire, military or police.”