LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — The Bolivian government on Monday summoned the Argentine ambassador to address the country's claim that the attempted military coup that rattled Bolivia last week was a hoax.
Bolivia's official reprimand of its neighbor adds to the fallout from the purported foiled mutiny last Wednesday that has left the country of 12 million shocked and bewildered. Bolivian President Luis Arce faces a wave of criticism at home and abroad from those claiming he engineered the coup to make himself look like a hero — an accusation first made by General Juan Jose Zúñiga before his sacking and arrest on charges of leading the armed uprising.
A string of Bolivian opposition figures have united in calling the coup a stunt, with Arce's main political rival and one-time mentor, former leftist President Evo Morales, echoing the accusation late Sunday without providing evidence. Arce has vigorously denied the allegations.
Right-wing Argentine President Javier Milei became the first head of state to join the chorus of skeptics, attacking Bolivia's history of socialist governments, which he said endangers democracy. “The tale that was told was not very credible,” the president's office said of Wednesday's alleged coup attempt — a dramatic reversal from Argentina's initial statement condemning the troops occupying central La Paz.
Bolivian interim foreign minister, María Nela Prada, denounced Milei's statement as “unfriendly and reckless” and “misinformed and biased” on Monday. Incensed over what she called Argentina's “unacceptable denialism,” Prada and other officials called on Milei to stay out of Bolivian internal affairs.
“We have always maintained a position of respect and we will demand the same respect,” said Gabriela Alcón, Bolivia's deputy minister of communication.
Milei's government only doubled down on its denial of the coup attempt in response to the outrage in La Paz, escalating the diplomatic spat between the nations that share a long border and history of trade and cooperation.
“It is simply a description of the facts, an account of the different information that we are collecting,” presidential spokesperson Manuel Adorni said in his daily news conference, defending Milei's allegations that the government faked the coup without elaborating. “We are aware of the delicate institutional situation."
Various right-wing opposition figures in Bolivia, arrested and still detained over their alleged role in the 2019 mass protests that prompted then-President Morales to resign and flee, thanked Milei for his support.
Asked about the allegations of a self-coup on Monday, U.S. State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said Washington hoped to see an independent investigation into last week's events in Bolivia.
“We understand and have taken note of the number of viewpoints that have emerged in recent days and we welcome an independent analysis,” Patel told reporters.
Last Wednesday, Zúñiga and other military officials stormed the presidential palace, ramming its doors with a tank and railing against the country's politicians. In a dramatic face-to-face confrontation, Arce ordered Zúñiga to back down — successfully putting a lid on the rebellion after just three chaotic hours that reverberated regionwide.
A brief outpouring of popular support for Arce has given way to a firestorm of speculation about what really happened and whether Arce played a role in the tumult. Authorities are widening their dragnet, arresting 21 soldiers and civilians over the coup attempt.
On Monday, Bolivian state TV reported that police detained an army commander in the central city of Cochabamba and who, the attorney general said, served as a sniper during the coup attempt.
Alleged ringleaders, including Zúñiga, remain in custody.
Senior Cabinet member Eduardo del Castillo insisted in remarks late Sunday that the coup was no ploy by Arce but rather an alarming effort to oust the government by force. Explaining its failure, he said: “Fortunately, many people were insubordinate."
Bolivian interim Foreign Minister Maria Nela Prada leaves after giving a press conference in La Paz, Bolivia, Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)
Bolivian interim Foreign Minister Maria Nela Prada speaks alongside Vice Minister of Consular Management Fernando Perez Cardenas, right, during a press conference in La Paz, Bolivia, Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)
Bolivian interim Foreign Minister Maria Nela Prada speaks during a press conference in La Paz, Bolivia, Monday, July 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)
Here are the AP’s latest coverage plans, top stories and promotable content. All times EDT. For up-to-the-minute information on AP’s coverage, visit Coverage Plan in AP Newsroom.
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NEW/DEVELOPING
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ANIMALS-NO MATE-BIRTHS; KRAKEN-CAMPBELL; FEDERAL RESERVE-MINUTES; ABORTION REFERENDUMS-EXPLAINER; MENENDEZ-BRIBERY; ELECTION 2024-DEMOCRATS-CLYBURN; ELECTION 2024-BIDEN-DEBATE EXPLANATIONS; ELECTION 2024-WHAT BIDEN MEANT; JULY-4TH-TRAVEL; BIDEN-MEDAL OF HONOR; ITALY-POLICE OFFICER KILLED.
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TOP STORIES
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ELECTION 2024-BIDEN — President Joe Biden vowed to keep running for reelection as he rejected pressure from within his Democratic Party to withdraw after a disastrous debate. But in an ominous sign, one of his top allies publicly suggests a way the party might choose someone else. By Seung Min Kim and Will Weissert. SENT: 1,180 words, photos, video. With ELECTION 2024-BIDEN-DEMOCRATS — Democratic lawmakers grapple with a potential crisis; ELECTION 2024-DEMOCRATS-CLYBURN — Rep. Jim Clyburn outlines a process to replace Biden; ELECTION 2024-BIDEN-HISTORY LESSONS — Incumbents trying to win over their parties often struggle to win again; ELECTION 2024-BIDEN-DEBATE EXPLANATIONS — Evolving reasons for a bad debate; ELECTION 2024-WHAT BIDEN MEANT — White House explains Biden’s “Medicare” misstep (all sent). Also see ELECTION 2024-HARRIS below.
ELECTION 2024-TRUMP — Donald Trump typically likes to be the one in the spotlight. But in the days since Biden’s disastrous debate performance, the presumptive Republican nominee has kept a low profile, leaving the focus on the drama engulfing the Democratic Party. The strategy comes as Trump and his campaign revel in a series of legal and political victories heading into the Republican National convention later this month. By Jill Colvin. SENT: 1,280 words, photos.
ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS — Israel has approved the largest seizure of land in the occupied West Bank in over three decades, a settlement tracking group said, a move that could further worsen already soaring tensions linked to the ongoing war in Gaza. By Julia Frankel. SENT: 1,100 words, photos, videos, graphic. With MIDEAST-TENSIONS-THE LATEST (sent).
BRITAIN-ELECTION — Rishi Sunak has covered thousands of miles in the past few weeks, but he hasn’t outrun the expectation that his time as Britain’s prime minister is in its final hours. SENT: 1,040 words, photos. By Jill Lawless. With BRITAIN-ELECTION-GLOSSARY — From red wall to King’s Speech, U.K. elections have a vocabulary all their own; BRITAIN-LANDMARK-ELECTIONS-2019 — U.K.’s landmark postwar elections: When Boris Johnson sought and got a mandate to “Get Brexit Done” (both sent).
DAM SAFETY-VULNERABILITIES — Floodwaters in rural Minnesota carved a path around a century old dam early last week, causing severe erosion to a riverbank. Several days later, intense rain damaged a dam in Texas. There are roughly 90,000 significant dams in the U.S. More than 4,000 are in poor or unsatisfactory condition and could either kill people or just harm the environment if they failed, according to data from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. By Michael Phillis and John Hanna. SENT: 1,090 words, photos, videos.
TROPICAL-WEATHER — Hurricane Beryl was roaring by Jamaica, bringing fierce winds and heavy rain after the powerful Category 4 storm earlier killed at least six people and caused significant damage in the southeast Caribbean. By John Myers Jr. SENT: 1,000 words, photos, video, audio.
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SPOTLIGHTING VOICES
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AFGHANISTAN-WOMEN — Frozan Ahmadzai is one of 200,000 Afghan women who have the Taliban’s permission to work. Half of Afghanistan’s population now finds itself locked out of the freedom to work at a time when the country’s economy is worse than ever. SENT: 890 words, photos.
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ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
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LEBANON-ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH — An Israeli strike in southern Lebanon killed a senior Hezbollah commander as tensions between the two sides continue to boil, a Hezbollah official told The Associated Press. SENT: 640 words, photos.
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MORE NEWS
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MENENDEZ-BRIBERY — The defense for Sen. Bob Menendez has rested without the New Jersey Democrat testifying at his New York bribery trial. SENT: 550 words, photo.
CALIFORNIA-WILDFIRES — Firefighters are battling a growing wildfire in northern California that has forced at least 13,000 people to evacuate with another day of extreme heat expected. SENT: 590 words, photos, video.
JULY 4TH-TRAVEL — The July 4th holiday rush is on. TSA expects to screen a record number of travelers this weekend. SENT: 500 words, photos, audio.
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WASHINGTON/POLITICS
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ELECTION 2024-HARRIS — Vice President Kamala Harris has been the White House’s first line of defense after Biden’s faltering performance in last week’s debate. SENT: 1,200 words, photos, video, audio. With ELECTION 2024-BIDEN-HARRIS-FUNDRAISING — How Harris could take over Biden’s campaign cash if he drops out and she runs for president (sent).
TRUMP-SUPREME COURT — The Supreme Court opinion giving broad immunity to Donald Trump could have a major effect on the current presidential race. SENT: 1,050 words, photos. With TRUMP-IMMUNITY-FACT FOCUS — Trump wasn’t exonerated by the immunity ruling, even though he says he was (sent).
GIULIANI-BANKRUTPCY — Rudy Giuliani’s bankruptcy comes under fire from creditors, including two former Georgia election workers who won a $148 million defamation judgment against him. SENT: 690 words, photos.
ELECTION 2024-PROJECT 2025 — The leader of a conservative think tank planning for a massive overhaul of the federal government says we are in the midst of “a second American Revolution” that will be bloodless “if the left allows it to be.” SENT: 640 words, photo.
BIDEN-MEDAL OF HONOR — Biden awarded the Medal of Honor for “conspicuous gallantry” to a pair of Union soldiers who stole a locomotive deep in Confederate territory during the Civil War and drove it north for 87 miles as they destroyed railroad tracks and telegraph lines. SENT: 480 words, photos.
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NATIONAL
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SHOOTING-JULY 4TH PARADE — Suburban Chicago mom Keely Roberts counts the days, not years, since a deadly shooting at an Independence Day parade in 2022 injured her and left one of her twin boys paralyzed from the waist down. SENT: 610 words, photos, video.
ABORTION-REFERENDUMS — Organizers in Arizona and Nebraska say that they turned in far more signatures than required to get ballot measures on abortion rights before voters in November’s election. SENT: 840 words, photos. With ABORTION-REFERENDUMS-EXPLAINER (sent).
GUN VIOLENCE-SUMMER — Violence and mass shootings often surge in the summer months. SENT: 690 words, photos.
BALDWIN SET SHOOTING-FILM INCENTIVES — Producers of the western movie “Rust” may have to forgo a robust economic incentive as they try to sell the newly completed film to distributors. SENT: 890 words, photos.
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INTERNATIONAL
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ITALY-POLICE OFFICER KILLED — An Italian appeals court upheld the convictions of two American men in the slaying of an Italian plainclothes police officer during a botched sting operation five years ago but significantly reduced their sentences. SENT: 710 words, photos, audio.
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HEALTH & SCIENCE
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PREHISTORIC-SALAMANDER — Scientists have revealed fossils of a giant salamanderlike beast with sharp fangs that ruled waters before the first dinosaurs arrived. By Science Writer Adithi Ramakrishnan. SENT: 300 words, photos, video.
ANIMALS-NO-MATE-BIRTHS — Females of species have the ability to reproduce asexually, without sperm from a male. SENT: 390 words, photos.
KILLING-OWLS — To save the imperiled spotted owl from potential extinction, U.S. wildlife officials are embracing a contentious plan to deploy trained shooters into dense West Coast forests to kill almost a half-million barred owls that are crowding out their cousins. SENT: 940 words, photos, audio.
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BUSINESS
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FEDERAL RESERVE-MINUTES — Federal Reserve officials at their most recent meeting welcomed signs that inflation is slowing and highlighted data suggesting that the job market and the broader economy could be cooling. By Economics Writer Christopher Rugaber. SENT: 680 words, photo.
TIKTOK-TRENDS — In less than six years, TikTok is deeply woven into the fabric of American consumerism, having shortened the shelf life of trends and revamped how people engage with food and fashion. By Business Writers Anne D’Innocenzio, Haleluya Hadero and Dee-Ann Durbin. SENT: 2,090 words, photos. An abridged version of 1,170 is also available. With TIKTOK-TRENDS-WHAT-TO-KNOW.
GENERAL MOTORS-EMISSIONS PENALTY — General Motors will pay nearly $146 million in penalties to the federal government because 5.9 million of its older vehicles don’t comply with emissions and fuel economy standards. SENT: 680 words, photos.
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ENTERTAINMENT
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SHARK WEEK — Imagine stepping into a life-sized whale carcass decoy and steering it into deep water. You’re looking for a group of hungry sharks to spark a feeding frenzy. To attract them, you shoot out hundreds of gallons of synthetic blood and chum. Then watch them lose it. That’s what marine biologist Liv Dixon did for Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week.” By Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy. SENT: 910 words, photos.
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SPORTS
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KRAKEN-CAMPBELL — Jessica Campbell will become the first woman to work on the bench of an NHL franchise after the Seattle Kraken hired her as an assistant coach. By Sports Writer Tim Booth. SENT: 870 words, photos, audio.
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HOW TO REACH US
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President Joe Biden listens during a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, July 3, 2024, posthumously honoring two U.S. Army privates who were part of a daring Union Army contingent that stole a Confederate train during the Civil War. U.S. Army Pvts. Philip G. Shadrach and George D. Wilson were captured by Confederates and executed by hanging. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
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A helicopter drops water as the Thompson Fire burns, Tuesday, July 2, 2024, in Oroville, Calif. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
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Relatives mourn next to the bodies of their relatives outside the Sikandrarao hospital in Hathras district about 350 kilometers (217 miles) southwest of Lucknow, India, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. Thousands of people at a religious gathering in India rushed to leave a makeshift tent, setting off a stampede Tuesday that killed more than hundred people and injured scores. (AP Photo)
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