Eduardo Gamarra Americas Insights

Bolivia's Self-Coup: A Tactic That Worked but at What Cost? Eduardo A. Gamarra, PhD Professor Department of Politics and International Relations Florida International University   In an unprecedented move, Bolivia’s President Luis Arce has executed a self-coup, a maneuver that has thrust the nation into a crisis of historic proportions. For a country that has weathered significant political turbulence, including massive electoral fraud in 2019, the resignation of Evo Morales, and subsequent protests, this crisis stands out as the most severe of the 21st century. This statement bears considerable weight, especially given Arce’s history as the minister of economy under Evo Morales, whose 14-year rule he proudly cites as the pinnacle of Bolivia’s economic success.   Arce and Morales often reminisce about those "golden years" of Bolivian prosperity, marked by robust natural gas exports to Argentina and Brazil. These years saw significant economic growth and stability, which b