(29 Jun 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
La Paz, Bolivia - 28 June 2024
1. Bolivian President Luis Arce arrives at the interview
2. Arce drinks water
3. Arce during the interview
4. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Luis Arce, Bolivian President:
"The intention was to take over the government, to be president, if you want. This totally contradicts that statement (about being a self-coup) that I believe is skillfully used to give an argument to the opposition and one they will precisely try to put that issue in the minds of Bolivians."
5. Arce during the interview
6. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Luis Arce, Bolivian President:
"It is very symptomatic that in the meeting where the decision was made (to do the coup), at 10 am, the morning of the day of the coup, not only soldiers were gathered there, there were military retirees and there were civilian personnel in that meeting, which is what is being investigated. That is, there are the perpetrators, but there are also civilian people who have been behind this coup, this is clear."
7. Various of Arce during the interview
8. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Luis Arce, Bolivian President:
"We have differences with our partner Evo (Morales), that basically have to do with who is the owner of the political instrument. For us, the owners of the political instrument are the social organizations that have founded the political instrument. For him, no, for him, he is the owner. That's why there is a problem between us, right? And we have received a political attack and also an economic boycott in the Legislative Assembly from all of them. Unfortunately, there is an attack and we have not attacked."
9. Arce poses next to flags
10. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Luis Arce, Bolivian President:
"We face temporary problems. At the time, there was a lack of dollar liquidity at the time, a lack of fuel, and protests. That happens permanently and is absolutely normal and we have been resolving each of those issues."
11. Arce leaving the interview
STORYLINE:
Bolivian President Luis Arce said Friday a former general planned to “take over” the government and become president in a failed coup, and he denied that the Andean nation was in an economic crisis.
In an interview with The Associated Press, the embattled leader denied once again that Wednesday's attack on the government palace was a “self-coup” designed to garner him political points.
“I didn’t escape. I stayed to defend democracy," Arce said.
Arce washed his hands of claims by relatives of the 21 people detained by the government that they were innocent of attempting a coup and had been tricked by ex-Gen. Juan Jose Zúñiga.
“It’s a problem of those who were involved, it’s not the government’s problem,” Arce told AP.
Arce said also his government has been “politically attacked” by his one-time ally turned rival, former President Evo Morales, saying the infighting has snarled legislative activities and hamstrung his government confronting economic problems.
Despite that, he said, Bolivia's economy is growing and his administration is working to “diversify” means of producing, investing in things like lithium and industrializing. Bolivia has the largest reserves of lithium - a metal known as “white gold” and considered essential in the green transition - in the world that has gone largely untapped, in part due to government policy.
Arce said the government “has taken action” to address intermittent gasoline and dollar shortages and other hurdles ailing the South American nation's economy.
“Bolivia has an economy that's growing. An economy in crisis doesn't grow,” he said.
Find out more about AP Archive: www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: / ap_archive
Facebook: / aparchives ​​
Instagram: / apnews
You can license this story through AP Archive: www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...