Connect with us

World

Bolivia foils coup attempt: All you need to know

Published

on

Bolivia foils coup attempt: All you need to know

President Luis Arce asserts authority as Bolivian Army General Juan Jose Zuniga, who was behind the coup d’etat bid, is arrested.

Bolivian President Luis Arce thwarted an apparent attempted coup on Wednesday, as Army General Juan Jose Zuniga was arrested, hours after he led troops and tanks to storm the presidential palace in the capital, La Paz.

President Arce from the left-wing Movement for Socialism (MAS) party has hailed the failed coup bid, calling it a victory for Bolivia’s democracy.

“Many thanks to the Bolivian people. Long live democracy,” he said, after asserting control over the military in the Latin American nation.

Advertisement

Here is all you need to know about the coup attempt in Bolivia:

Who is Luis Arce?

  • Arce, 60, was elected president of the South American country in November 2020.
  • Arce’s victory came after nearly a year of political turmoil after longtime left-wing President Evo Morales was forced to resign in 2019 after disputed election results. The then-opposition senator Jeanine Anez anointed herself the interim president. Anez dropped out of the 2020 presidential race. She was jailed for 10 years in 2022 for orchestrating the coup that brought her to power.
  • Originally an economist, Arce crafted the economic plan for Morales’s first presidential bid in 2005. In 2006, Morales appointed Arce as economy minister.
  • In recent years, tensions have been brewing between Arce and Morales, who each lead a faction of the dominant MAS political party. Morales, who had been Arce’s mentor, has even said he will challenge the current president for the presidential seat in 2025, despite a Constitutional Court barring Morales from contesting.
  • Arce’s 2020 election as president marked a return of stability to Bolivia.
  • However, he has struggled to manage a US dollar shortage and the turmoil of slow economic growth and surging inflation has continued to unfold.

Why was there an attempted coup in Bolivia?

  • Army commander Zuniga said Arce’s government was “impoverishing” the country.
  • Arce has struggled to address the economic woes facing the country of 12 million people. As well as the US dollar shortage, foreign reserves have dwindled and Bolivia’s fiscal deficit has increased under his watch. The economic situation has been exacerbated by the ballooning of its oil subsidies due to the Ukraine war and tightening of the global financial system.
  • Low commodity prices in a country dependent on mineral exports have also affected its finances. A commodity price surge in 2014 helped boost revenue in the country with huge mineral reserves, including lithium used in the manufacture of batteries. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, its economy was hit hard.
  • The Andean nation has for decades suffered from political instability, high income inequality and extreme poverty, particularly among the Indigenous community. During Morales’s 14-year presidency, the country witnessed political stability and a record number of people were lifted out of poverty.
  • The current economic state of Bolivia is dire, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projecting growth at a meagre 1.6 percent.
  • Besides citing economic woes, Zuniga said the army was trying to “restore democracy and free our political prisoners,” adding that the coup would make democracy true, not one in which the country is governed by the same few people for decades. The country has been governed by the MAS party since 2005, when Morales became the first Indigenous president.
  • Arce’s term has also seen political unrest. Right-wing forces have led deadly strikes in provinces such as Santa Cruz against Arce’s government’s decisions.
Military police block entry to Plaza Murillo in La Paz, Bolivia. [Juan Karita/AP]

How did the attempted coup unfold?

  • On Wednesday afternoon, troops with army vehicles entered the Plaza Murillo, an historic square in the capital, La Paz, where the presidency and Congress are situated.
  • One of eight tanks tried to break down the metal door to the plaza.
  • The coup attempt lasted about five hours.
  • Video footage showed an intense standoff between Arce and Zuniga, who was surrounded by a group of soldiers.

How was the coup averted?

  • “I am your captain, and I order you to withdraw your soldiers, and I will not allow this insubordination,” Arce told the coup leader in the front of the presidential palace.
  • The troops pulled back from the plaza and Zuniga was forced into a police car.
  • “Many thanks to the Bolivian people,” Arce said, hailing the troops’ withdrawal. “Long live democracy.”
Bolivian President Luis Arce raises a clenched fist surrounded by supporters and media, outside the government palace in La Paz, Bolivia,
Arce raises a clenched fist surrounded by supporters and media, outside the government palace in La Paz. [Juan Karita/AP]

How did Bolivian leaders and people respond?

  • Massive international condemnation and the people’s solidarity in favour of Arce played a role in foiling the coup attempt. Some Bolivian citizens took to the streets in protest against the attempted coup.
  • The attempt also earned condemnation from Morales, who said, “We will not allow the armed forces to violate democracy and intimidate people.”
  • Two days before the coup attempt, Zuniga had said in a statement on television that he would arrest Morales if he insisted on running for office again in 2025.
  • Even conservative ex-president Anez, who remains in jail, rebuked the army’s actions. She posted on X: “I fully reject of the mobilization of the military in the Plaza Murillo attempting to destroy constitutional order,” adding “the MAS with Arce and Evo must be got out through the vote in 2025. We Bolivians will defend democracy.”
A supporter of Bolivian President Luis Arce enters Plaza Murillo after a failed coup
A supporter of Bolivian President Luis Arce enters Plaza Murillo after the failed coup. [Juan Karita/AP]

What happened to General Juan Jose Zuniga?

  • “General, you are under arrest,” Deputy Interior Minister Jhonny Aguilera told Zuniga on Wednesday.
  • Zuniga was appointed by Arce as general commander in 2022 and has held high military ranks in the past. However, the relationship between the two soured, and Zuniga criticised Arce in the week leading to the coup attempt.
  • Bolivia’s Justice Minister Ivan Lima posted on X on Thursday that criminal action has been initiated against Zuniga under articles 121, 127 and 128 of the penal code.
  • These codes pertain to armed uprisings against security and state sovereignty, incitement of troops and attacks against the president and state dignitaries.
  • Lima added that the maximum possible sentence for the crimes is 20 years in prison.
  • Senior military officer and head of Bolivian navy, Juan Arnez Salvador, was also arrested.
  • Inside the presidential palace, Arce appointed Jose Wilson Sanchez as military commander, the post previously held by Zuniga.
Bolivian police hold the detained Juan Jose Zuniga, former general commander of the Army, in La Paz, Bolivia, Wednesday, June 26, 2024.
Bolivian police hold the detained Zuniga. [Juan Karita/AP]
  • The coup attempt drew international condemnation, with world leaders calling the Bolivian army’s actions illegal.
  • Leaders of Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Mexico, Colombia and Venezuela condemned the attempt, advocating for the preservation of democracy.
  • “I am a lover of democracy and I want it to prevail throughout Latin America,” Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Brazil’s president, said in an X post. “We condemn any form of coup d’etat in Bolivia.”
  • “We express the strongest condemnation of the attempted coup d’état in Bolivia. Our total support and support for President Luis Alberto Arce Catacora,” Mexico’s outgoing President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador posted on X.
  • The Organization of American States (OAS) said the international community would “not tolerate any form of breach of the legitimate constitutional order in Bolivia”.
  • A United States National Security Council spokesperson said Joe Biden’s administration was keeping a close eye on events in Bolivia and “calls for calm”.
  • United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was “deeply concerned” by events in Bolivia and called on all actors, including the military, to “protect the constitutional order and to preserve a climate of peace”, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

Bolivia’s history of coups

  • Even amid South America’s long and sordid history with coups, Bolivia stands out. It has witnessed dozens of coup attempts since the 1950s, the most of any country.
  • Most recently, the 2019 forced resignation of Morales was deemed a coup by the MAS.

World

Mubi to Publish Lost ‘Faust’ Bible on Centenary of F.W. Murnau’s Silent Cinema Classic (EXCLUSIVE)

Published

on

Mubi to Publish Lost ‘Faust’ Bible on Centenary of F.W. Murnau’s Silent Cinema Classic (EXCLUSIVE)

Arthouse distributor, streamer, production company and — since 2015 — publisher Mubi is set to release a book about the silent era classic “Faust” containing material that was until recently thought lost.

“The Faust Bible: The Making of F.W. Murnau’s Masterpiece” is being published by Mubi Editions, presented in partnership with la Cinémathèque française, which will publish globally on Oct. 17.

The book marks 100 years since F.W. Murnau’s fantasy epic, considered one of the prime examples of German expressionist cinema, and brings to light a recently-unearthed artefact of film history: a visual diary of approximately 400 photographs and original illustrations documenting the making of the film almost step-by-step.

Compiled by “Faust” crew members Robert Herlth, Carl Hoffmann, and Walter Röhrig, and originally presented to Murnau inside a prop Bible, this collection was gifted as a memento to the director on the film’s completion and ahead of his move from Germany to Hollywood. However, it was then lost for many years, thought to have been destroyed in World War II, before its recent rediscovery and painstaking restoration by la Cinémathèque française, who acquired it for their collection in 2017.

Now published in full for the very first time, “The Faust Bible: The Making of F.W. Murnau’s Masterpiece” will contain stills and sketches showcasing the film’s lavish costuming and set design, plus detailed storyboarding.

Advertisement

The publication is guided by Laurent Mannoni, scientific director of heritage at la Cinémathèque française, who also contributes a newly commissioned essay and annotations on the discovery of the Bible and its rare contents. Accompanying him are Stefan Drössler, director of the Filmmuseum München, writing on the production history of the film, and K.J. Relth-Miller, director of film programs at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, on the film’s lasting legacy in contemporary cinema.

”Preserving and revitalizing film history is at the heart of what we do at Mubi,” said Daniel Kasman, Mubi’s vice president of publishing. “The discovery of the astonishing Faust ‘Bible’ presents a beautiful opportunity to share this glorious classic of silent cinema with audiences new and old. It offers profound new insight into the mind of one of cinema’s greatest auteurs, revealing the meticulous artistry behind this groundbreaking visual fantasia, created by some of the most talented craftspeople of their day—while standing as a remarkable work of art in its own right.”

To mark both the book’s publication and the centenary of “Faust,” Mubi will present a series of international events and screenings throughout autumn 2026, including a public launch at la Cinémathèque française in Paris on Oct 17. Further details are to be announced.

“One of the most influential and pioneering filmmakers of the silent era, F.W. Murnau was known for the privacy of his film sets,” said la Cinémathèque française’s Mannoni. “Reluctant to welcome visitors, he was even less inclined to reveal his creative process. The rediscovery of the Faust ‘Bible’ offers extraordinary insight into the making of one of cinema’s great masterpieces. Published in its entirety for the first time, it allows readers to trace the creation of this legendary film.”

Advertisement
Continue Reading

World

Trump says Venezuela earthquakes left ‘devastating number of deaths’ as US readies aid

Published

on

Trump says Venezuela earthquakes left ‘devastating number of deaths’ as US readies aid

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

President Donald Trump said late Wednesday that two powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela had caused what he described as “a devastating number of deaths” as officials continued assessing the extent of the disaster.

Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez later said at least 32 people were killed and more than 700 were injured in the earthquakes, marking the country’s first official casualty figures.

Trump’s comments came after back-to-back earthquakes rocked Venezuela earlier Wednesday, causing widespread damage, including in the capital of Caracas, where buildings were damaged, and rescue crews searched through rubble.

In a Truth Social post, Trump said the pair of “massive” earthquakes had caused widespread devastation.

Advertisement

PLAYERS, FANS FLEE STADIUM AS POWERFUL EARTHQUAKES STRIKE DURING VENEZUELA BASEBALL GAME

First responders attend a damaged building in Los Palos Grandes, Caracas, after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Venezuela and the Caribbean on June 24, 2026. (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)

“The two major earthquakes that just hit the great people of Venezuela are both massive in scale and have left a devastating number of deaths,” Trump wrote.

Trump said the United States was prepared to assist with the ongoing response.

“The U.S.A. stands ready, willing, and able to help!” Trump said. “I have instructed all agencies of our government to get ready to move quickly. We will be there for our new and great friends.”

Advertisement

Trump added that early reports from Venezuela were “not good.”

US RENEWS ‘DO NOT TRAVEL’ ALERT OVER TERRORISM, KIDNAPPING AMID TRUMP NARCO-TERROR FIGHT

Rescue workers search through the rubble after an earthquake in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, June 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Javier Campos)

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, an initial magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck at 6:04 p.m. ET, with its epicenter about 15 miles east-northeast of San Felipe.

Just 39 seconds later, a magnitude 7.5 quake struck with its epicenter about 14 miles southeast of Yumare.

Advertisement

“High casualties and extensive damage are probable, and the disaster is likely widespread,” the USGS said in a rare red alert statement.

TRUMP ISSUES DIRECT WARNING TO VENEZUELA’S NEW LEADER DELCY RODRÍGUEZ FOLLOWING MADURO CAPTURE

Rescuers search for victims in a collapsed building following an earthquake in Caracas on June 24, 2026. (Manaure Quintero / AFP via Getty Images)

Officials said the earthquakes were among the strongest to strike Venezuela in more than a century.

Rodríguez declared a state of emergency Wednesday after the earthquakes, which were followed by nearly two dozen aftershocks.

Advertisement

In a televised address later that day, Rodríguez urged Venezuelans to remain calm.

“We urge our population to remain calm,” Rodríguez said. “We urge unity.”

VENEZUELA RELEASES ALL KNOWN AMERICAN DETAINEES FOLLOWING MADURO CAPTURE AND GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER

On Thursday, Rodríguez announced that at least 32 people had been killed and more than 700 others injured in the earthquakes.

“We urge our population to remain calm,” Rodríguez said. “We urge unity.”

Advertisement

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau wrote on X that American officials were in contact with Venezuelan authorities and working to deliver assistance to the South American nation.

VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER MARÍA MACHADO HAS URGENT MESSAGE FOR PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP

An ambulance drives through the street at Parque Central urban development complex in Caracas, Venezuela, after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the region on June 24, 2026. (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)

“The U.S. stands with the Venezuelan people in the aftermath of this evening’s devastating earthquakes,” he wrote. “We’re in touch with the authorities and mobilizing assistance.”

The State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs said it was tracking developments following the powerful earthquakes.

Advertisement

“The U.S. Government is closely monitoring the aftermath of a large earthquake in Venezuela,” the bureau said in a statement.

Emergency services work at the site of a collapsed building after an earthquake in Caracas, Venezuela, June 24, 2026. (REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria)

“We extend our deepest condolences to the victims and are committed to supporting the people of Venezuela during this difficult time,” the statement continued.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The bureau also urged U.S. citizens in Venezuela to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) and monitor embassy updates.

Advertisement

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Continue Reading

World

Venezuela rocked by 7.5 and 7.2 earthquakes: What we know

Published

on

Venezuela rocked by 7.5 and 7.2 earthquakes: What we know

Venezuela has declared a state of emergency after two back-to-back earthquakes of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 struck, killing at least 32 people.

A major search and rescue operation is under way after Wednesday’s quakes caused widespread damage, especially in the capital, Caracas.

Recommended Stories

list of 1 itemend of list

Emergency crews are searching through the rubble of collapsed buildings while authorities closed the country’s main airport in Caracas, suspended classes and mobilised health workers to respond to the disaster.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) warned that “high casualties and extensive damage are probable”, and US President Donald Trump said the quakes – some of the strongest in more than a century – caused “a devastating number of deaths”.

Here is what we know:

Advertisement

What happened in Venezuela?

Venezuela was struck by the quakes about 6:04pm (22:04 GMT) on Wednesday as it was marking a national holiday commemorating the 1821 Battle of Carabobo.

The government declared a state of emergency as emergency crews responded to widespread damage. In a televised address, acting President Delcy Rodriguez urged doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers to report immediately to hospitals and clinics to help treat the injured.

Reporting from Bogota in neighbouring Colombia, Al Jazeera’s Teresa Bo said the worst damage was reported in Caracas, particularly in the Altamira district, where emergency crews rescued survivors from the rubble of a 22-storey building as relatives searched for missing loved ones. Authorities said the full extent of the damage is still being assessed.

What do we know about the victims and the death toll?

Rodriguez said at least 32 people have been killed and about 700 injured in the quakes, which were followed by nearly two dozen aftershocks.

Authorities have not yet released a breakdown of the victims by age, gender or location, and officials said the figures are expected to rise as search and rescue operations continue.

Advertisement

The Altamira and El Paraiso neighbourhoods of Caracas are the worst affected. Damage has also been reported in La Guaira and other parts of central Venezuela.

The USGS warned that the death toll could rise significantly because many buildings in the affected region are made from unreinforced brick masonry and adobe, which are particularly vulnerable during strong earthquakes.

Its latest assessment gave a 39 percent probability that fatalities could reach between 1,000 and 10,000 and a 37 percent probability of 10,000 to 100,000 deaths. These are statistical estimates designed to support emergency planning and are not confirmed casualty figures.

Where were the epicentres?

The twin earthquakes originated in Yaracuy state, west of Caracas, according to the USGS. The first, a magnitude 7.2 quake, struck at a depth of 22km (14 miles), followed less than a minute later by an even larger magnitude 7.5 quake at a depth of about 10km (6 miles).

Although the epicentres were outside the capital, the shaking was felt across Caracas and much of central and western Venezuela, including the states of Carabobo, Miranda, La Guaira and Trujillo. Tremors were also reported in neighbouring Colombia and as far away as Brazil’s Amazon region, more than 1,700km (1,050 miles) from Caracas.

Advertisement

What has been the impact?

The earthquakes caused widespread damage across Venezuela, collapsing buildings, damaging infrastructure and sending residents into the streets in panic.

The government closed Simon Bolivar International Airport in Caracas because of damage, suspended classes for several days and urged people to remain calm.

Search and rescue operations remained under way across the worst hit areas as authorities continued to assess the scale of the destruction. Experts also warned that strong aftershocks remain possible in the coming days.

How has the international community reacted?

Governments across the Americas expressed solidarity with Venezuela and began mobilising humanitarian assistance.

Advertisement

United States: Trump said on his Truth Social platform that the US “stands ready, willing, and able to help! I have instructed all agencies of our government to get ready to move quickly. We will be there for our new and great friends.”

Earlier, officials from the Trump administration said Washington will send search and rescue teams, medical supplies and other humanitarian assistance.

El Salvador: President Nayib Bukele said the country is preparing to send 300 paramedics and other rescue workers along with 50 tonnes of medical supplies and emergency equipment.

Ecuador and Panama: Both governments announced humanitarian assistance with Ecuadoran President Daniel Noboa saying humanitarian concerns should take precedence despite political differences.

Mexico and Brazil: The two countries expressed solidarity with Venezuela and said they were closely monitoring the situation, adding that there were no immediate reports of their citizens being affected.

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending