Bolivian soldiers sparked controversy last week by interrogating President Luis Arce, prompting ruling party allies including former President Evo Morales to describe the incident as a “self-coup.” However, Arce has attributed the situation to entities interested in exploiting Bolivia’s lithium reserves.
Last week, a significant political crisis unfolded in Bolivia when soldiers led by Army Commander General Juan José Zúñiga armored vehicles rammed the Bolivian government palace and called for “the restoration of democracy and free political prisoners.”
President Luis Arce reprimanded Zúñiga in front of reporters, describing the incident as a failed coup attempt. However, former President Evo Morales and other individuals have called it a “self-coup” intended to strengthen Arce’s position. Arce has denied this, attributing the claims to Morales’ desire to return to politics despite legal disqualification.
Instead, Arce attempted to link the incident to foreign entities interested in exploiting Bolivia’s lithium reserves. He said the unrest is linked to Bolivia’s lithium wealth – a recurring theme since the country’s 2019 political crisis. He said external and national interests are seeking control, driven by Bolivia’s lithium and rare earth metals. The dispute reflects Morales’ claims that previous unrest stemmed from US interests in Bolivia’s lithium sector.
“These interests are looking for our natural resources,” he said recently in an interview with the Spanish newspaper El Pais. “Bolivia is the world’s most important reserve of lithium, it also has rare earth metals that the planet needs today.”
Despite accusations, there is still little concrete evidence linking foreign interests to recent events. US statements, including comments from Tesla CEO Elon Musk and several military officials, have sparked speculation but lacked conclusive evidence.
Bolivia has approximately 23% of global lithium reserves and is pursuing industrialization through technologies such as direct lithium extraction (EDL) and evaporation methods. However, efforts to translate these resources into tangible results are hampered by political issues and regulatory challenges.
Several foreign companies – including ACI Systems, TBEA Group, CATL, Uranium One, Posco and Eramet – have expressed interest in Bolivia’s lithium sector, with varying degrees of success and setbacks. India’s Altmin plans to develop a lithium-ion battery pilot plant in Potosí, underlining continued international interest in Bolivia’s strategic minerals.
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