International

The military command in Bolivia changes and the Government accuses Evo Morales of wanting to cut the democratic order

The president of Bolivia, Luis Arce, changed this Saturday the high military command of the country between requests for preservation of public order and democracy, at a time when the followers of former president Evo Morales (2006-2019) celebrate 13 days of an indefinite blockade of roads.

Air Major General Gerardo Zabala is the new interim commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces; General José Wilson Sánchez is Chief of Staff; General Eduardo Aguilar is the commander-in-chief of the Army.

General Juan Ballester is general commander of the Air Force and Rear Admiral Oscar Vaca Molina was sworn in as General Commander of the Navy.

New military chiefs

The new military leaders assumed their positions at an event at the Casa Grande del Pueblo, headquarters of the Bolivian Executive, chaired by Arce, Vice President David Choquehuanca and the Minister of Defense, Edmundo Novillo.

Arce emphasized that the change of military command occurs at a time when state institutions seek to “preserve the highest vital interests of the country such as state security and the restoration of public order.”

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Arce mentioned that “the right to peaceful protest is guaranteed” although he considered that the blockades maintained by the sectors related to Morales violate “the freedom of movement and freedom of movement” of citizens.

Accusation of Evo Morales

The Bolivian Foreign Ministry denounced to the international community that former President Evo Morales (2006-2019) seeks to cut the democratic order of the country with the protests that this Saturday turn 13 days, something that would also affect the stability of the South American region.

“Bolivia denounces to the international community that a series of destabilizing actions led by former President Evo Morales Ayma are underway in our country, which aim to interrupt the democratic order,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

He also warned that this “constitutes a serious threat not only to Bolivia, but also to stability and security in our region.”

Blocked country

Evo Morales’ followers maintain an indefinite blockade of roads to demand that the Luis Arce government withdraw the judicial proceedings for human trafficking and rape against the also leader of the ruling Movement to Socialism (MAS), since they consider that he is part of a political persecution against him.

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They also ask for solutions to the rise in food prices, the lack of dollars, the irregular provision of fuel and respect for a MAS congress that in 2023 declared Morales a “single candidate” for next year’s elections.

In this regard, the Foreign Ministry mentioned that the Government “has repeatedly demonstrated its willingness to dialogue” and warned that behind the protests “there are personal interests” of Morales to manipulate Justice and seek its impunity.

“Democracy at risk”

Likewise, the official note denounces the presence of “violent groups” and armed people “who have publicly threatened with bloodshed.”

“Bolivia calls on the international community, the States, multilateral organizations and the peoples of the world to remain attentive to these destabilizing events that seek to put at risk the democracy recovered by the Bolivian people,” the Foreign Ministry remarked.

On Friday, the Police organized an unblocking operation in several sectors of the department of Cochabamba (center) and that connect the roads between the west and east of the country.

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The critical point was in the town of Parotani, 40 kilometers west of Cochabamba, which ended with a confrontation between the Police and the demonstrators with 14 officers injured and 44 arrested.

Evo Morales’ complaints

For his part, Morales denounced that after the operation some groups of civilians carried out “fascist” attacks, such as the destruction of a coca leaf producing headquarters in Cochabamba and the aggression against one of their lawyers, who was beaten and the car destroyed.

The blockades, which according to the Bolivian Highway Administrator (ABC) remain in 16 areas, have exacerbated the country’s economic situation and generated a shortage of some food, gasoline and diesel.

The Government enabled flights or “air longings” to guarantee the provision of beef and chicken to the cities of La Paz and El Alto, while trucks with fuel travel alternative routes to reach the distribution plants.

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International

Iran Reports 201 Dead, 747 Injured After U.S. and Israeli Strikes

The Iranian Red Crescent Society reported Sunday night (local time) that at least 201 people were killed and 747 injured following attacks carried out by Israel and the United States against the Islamic Republic.

A spokesperson for the humanitarian organization said more than 220 rescue teams have been deployed across affected areas and that relief operations are continuing without interruption. The official highlighted the difficulty of treating the large number of wounded and the urgent need for additional resources in impacted provinces.

Out of Iran’s 31 provinces, 24 have reported damage, according to a statement carried by the Isna news agency. This marks the first overall casualty toll released by Iranian state-affiliated media since the launch of the offensive.

Among the dead are 85 schoolgirls from a school in the southern city of Minab, according to the country’s judiciary. “The number of martyrs at the Minab girls’ school has risen to 85,” the local prosecutor’s office said, as quoted by the judiciary’s website, Mizan Online.

Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian described the attack as a “savagery” that “constitutes a new black page in the record of countless crimes committed by the aggressors.”

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Meanwhile, the international community continues to monitor the situation closely amid concerns about possible further reprisals and the broader impact on Middle East stability, energy markets, and global security.

AFP noted that it was unable to independently verify the casualty figures or the circumstances surrounding the events.

International

Pope Leo XIV Urges End to ‘Spiral of Violence’ in Middle East

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday called for an end to the “spiral of violence” in the Middle East, following military strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran and subsequent retaliatory bombardments in the region.

“Faced with the possibility of a tragedy of enormous proportions, I urge the parties involved to assume their moral responsibility and stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss,” the pontiff told the crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican.

Speaking during the Angelus prayer, the U.S.-born pope said stability and peace cannot be achieved through threats or weapons. “Stability and peace are not built with reciprocal threats or with arms that sow destruction, suffering and death, but only through reasonable, sincere and responsible dialogue,” he declared.

The leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics also called for diplomacy to “regain its role” amid escalating tensions.

In addition, the pope urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to urgently resume dialogue after several days of clashes between the two countries.

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International

Security Council to Hold Emergency Meeting on Middle East Crisis

UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Saturday condemned the “military escalation in the Middle East” following attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes, just hours before an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council.

“I call for the immediate cessation of hostilities and de-escalation,” Guterres said in a statement.

The Security Council is scheduled to meet on Saturday at 21:00 GMT (4:00 p.m. in New York) to address “the situation in the Middle East,” the United Nations announced.

The meeting, during which Guterres will deliver remarks, was convened at the request of France, Bahrain, Colombia, Russia and China, according to a diplomatic source.