A coup attempt by the recently fired commander of Bolivia's armed forces fizzled out in about three hours in the face of an unyielding president and unaccepting population. General Juan José Zúñiga, who was fired as the armed forces commander on Tuesday, led the coup attempt for reasons that aren't immediately clear.

BACKGROUND: BREAKING: Coup Attempt Underway in Bolivia – RedState

Soldiers bashed in the gates to the presidential palace, and General  Zúñiga declared the formation of a new government.

Bolivia has recently expressed a serious interest in joining BRICS.

Bolivian Troops have now taken complete control of the Presidential Palace. General Juan José Zúñiga states he’s forming a ‘New Cabinet’.

CIA-MOSSAD interference. pic.twitter.com/JUzUkBZUjT

— Liz Churchill (@liz_churchill10) June 26, 2024

Bolivian President Luis Arce refused to throw in the towel, called on the people to resist, and named a new armed forces commander. The result showed just how shallow support was for Zúñiga's coup.

When the President of Bolivia asked the country to mobilize against the coup, the people answered the callpic.twitter.com/J1X9aqoiwp

— COMBATE |🇵🇷 (@upholdreality) June 27, 2024

In the face of overwhelming popular support for Arce, the military abruptly flipped and arrested the coup leaders. Zúñiga was arrested while making an announcement on live television.

Bolivia coup attempt tottally failed: Three military leaders who took control of the presidential palace were arrested.

One coup leader was detained on live TV, others displayed with handcuffs to the media. pic.twitter.com/krPqLLwWz5

— Clash Report (@clashreport) June 27, 2024

CIA-backed coup fails in Bolivia

Coup leaders arrested and put on display pic.twitter.com/RJoE4TrDl8

— What the media hides. (@narrative_hole) June 27, 2024

Naturally, the CIA was behind it because, of course, they were. I'll be the first to admit the half-assed, incompetent way the coup was carried out does lead one to immediately point the finger of blame at our Intelligence Community (to me, this is the conclusive proof that Urkaine's 2014 Maidan Revolution did not involve the CIA, because it worked). 

The reason the CIA allegedly did this was rooted in this Congressional testimony by USSOUTHCOM commander General Laura Richardson, highlighting the importance of Bolivia as a lithium producer and the efforts by China to lock in control of South America's lithium supply:

Yesterday Bolivia experienced a failed coup attempt, allegedly supported by the CIA.
Why does Washington assert such dominance globally?

Is it plausible that the US seeks to monopolize lithium extraction in Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile?
🤔 pic.twitter.com/hrfRV0UhhI

— Richard (@ricwe123) June 27, 2024

The real answer will probably be more prosaic and banal. Arce's election was opposed by everyone but the lower classes. Zúñiga was involved in an ugly public feud with former president Evo Morales and was fired. I don't even pretend to be vaguely conversant about Bolivian politics, but there seems to be enough ego and political instability in that country to account for the coup. That said, one can never rule out the CIA's penchant for getting involved in stupid and counterproductive activities while imagining that it is being clever.