FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 26, 2024
Media Contact: Melissa Garriga | [email protected]
NO COUP IN BOLIVIA! DEFEND DEMOCRACY!
CODEPINK condemns in the strongest terms the attempted coup d’etat which occurred today against the democratically elected Bolivian President Luis Arce.
Armed forces stormed the Presidential Palace with tanks and masses of troops in an attempt to violently overthrow Arce’s government. This blatant attack on Bolivia’s democracy undermines peace, stability, and justice for all of us in the Americas.
This is the second coup attempt against leaders of Bolivia’s MAS (Movimiento al Socialismo / Movement for Socialism) party in the last 5 years. Backed by the United States and the Organization of American States (OAS), Bolivia’s white, Christian fascist minority deposed former President Evo Morales in 2019. The coup government carried out multiple massacres against Indigenous people who protested Morales’ removal. At the time, Tesla CEO Elon Musk supported the coup in order to secure more access to Bolivia’s lithium, saying “We will coup whoever we want.”
Though it appears the coup has been defeated, CODEPINK remains vigilant towards attacks on democracy in Bolivia and everywhere people continue to struggle for peace, justice, and freedom.
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