Retired Bolivian General Dismisses Coup Attempt by ex-Army Men

Bolivia's Retired General Edwin De La Fuente Wednesday clarified that passive service military who are allegedly seeking a coup d'etat has no real influence within his country's Armed Forces.

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"They are disabled elements with no influence on the Army and their political calls have no impact," De La Fuente said and added that conspirators are taking advantage of the situation to act illegally.​​​​​​

"Those encouraging them use social networks to spread fake news," the retired general stressed and explained that "they seek to foster hatred, altercations and racism to convulse the country."

Bolivia is going through unrest that began when former presidential candidate Carlos Mesa, who lost the presidential elections on Oct. 20, raised doubts about the poll results and indicated that fraud had taken place which his political party has not presented evidence for. 

The political impasse became more complicated when the Santa Cruz Civic Committee leader, Luis Fernando Camacho, asked the opposition to radicalize their protests.

In rejection of those appeals, the Bolivian Workers' Center (COB) on Tuesday held a massive rally in support of President Evo Morales at the San Francisco square in La Paz, the country's capital.​​​​​​​

"We will defeat the coup attempt led by fascist Luis Fernando Camacho and organized by business lodges which use religion to deceive the people," the COB said.

"They invented a fraud; however, when the Organization of American States agreed to audit the Bolivian elections, all opponents refused to participate."