In Bolivia, armored vehicles breached the doors of the government palace on Wednesday in what President Luis Arce described as a coup attempt. The military action, led by a high-ranking general, appeared to aim at taking control of the government amid ongoing political and economic turmoil in the country.
Within hours, the situation evolved rapidly. Troops initially seemed to gain control but then retreated after President Arce appointed a new army commander who ordered them to stand down. The military's withdrawal occurred just three hours after the initial breach.
Following the retreat, hundreds of Arce's supporters gathered outside the palace, waving Bolivian flags and singing the national anthem. The incident concluded with the arrest of army chief Gen. Juan José Zúñiga as the attorney general launched an investigation into the events.
Fun fact: Bolivia is one of the world’s largest lithium reserves – 21million tonnes
Bolivia, part of South America's "lithium triangle" along with Argentina and Chile, possesses the world's largest lithium reserves. With an estimated 21 million tonnes, Bolivia holds approximately one-quarter of the global lithium resource, including the world's largest single lithium deposit, the Salar de Uyuni salt flat, which is visible from space.
However, these vast reserves remain largely undeveloped due to various technical, geographic, and political challenges that have hindered Bolivia from fully capitalizing on this significant natural resource.