On Thursday, Russia condemned an “attempted military coup” in Bolivia and warned against “destructive foreign interference” in the South American nation.
This condemnation followed the arrest of two Bolivian army leaders on Wednesday after soldiers and tanks positioned themselves in front of government buildings, an action President Luis Arce labeled an attempt to overthrow his government.
Read more: Russian State Media Reports That Indian PM Narendra Modi Will Soon Visit Moscow
Russia joined a chorus of countries denouncing the military’s actions, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressing a hope for “calm as soon as possible.” The Russian foreign ministry also issued a strong condemnation of the attempted coup.
“We express our full, unwavering support for the government of President Luis Arce,” stated the foreign ministry. “We stand in solidarity with brotherly Bolivia, our reliable strategic partner,” it added.
Earlier this month, Arce visited Russia, where he held discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin and spoke at a major economic forum. During their meeting, Putin praised the “solid foundation of respect” between the two countries and expressed a desire to strengthen economic ties, as per a Kremlin readout of the meeting.
This visit was notable given it was a rare trip to Russia by a foreign leader amid Moscow’s extensive military operations in Ukraine, which have led to Putin’s increased isolation on the global stage.
On Thursday, Moscow also criticized unspecified foreign entities it accused of attempting to meddle in Bolivia’s political process. “We warn against attempts at destructive foreign interference in the internal affairs of Bolivia and other states, which has repeatedly led to tragic consequences for a number of countries and peoples, including in the Latin American region,” stated the foreign ministry.
While the ministry did not specify the “foreign interference” in question, Moscow often uses such terminology to critique the United States and other Western nations.
