LA PAZ, June 27 (Xinhua) -- An attempted coup against Bolivian President Luis Arce was foiled by the immediate and spontaneous response of the people, social organizations and political leaders, a senior Bolivian official said Thursday.
Speaking at the 54th General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) held in Asuncion, Paraguay, Bolivia's ambassador to the agency, Hector Arce, said the "brave and determined" stance of President Arce, who personally confronted the coup leader, former army commander Gen. Juan Jose Zuniga, was also decisive in quashing Wednesday's insurrection.
In addition, he noted the general lack of support from the military for Zuniga, firm international condemnation and the immediate backing of presidents and governments of various countries and of international organizations.
The Bolivian ambassador expressed his deep gratitude to the international community for its determined support and highlighted the Bolivian public's strong commitment to democracy.
President Arce on Wednesday denounced the attempted coup, emphasizing "democracy must be respected."
Immediate measures by the new army commander, Jose Sanchez, who ordered the troops to return to their units and reaffirmed support for the government, was crucial to stabilizing the situation. ■
