Caracas, July 10, 2024.- This Wednesday, the Heads of State and Government of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – People’s Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) held the 10th Extraordinary Summit of the regional bloc to denounce the attempted coup in Bolivia and reaffirm support for President Luis Arce’s government.

Through a video conference, the Executive Secretary of the Alliance, Jorge Arreaza, read the Declaration of the extraordinary meeting, approved by the Heads of State of the member countries, regarding the attack against the constitutional government of the Plurinational State of Bolivia on June 26.

“We, the Heads of State and Government, representatives of the ALBA-TCP member countries, gathered on July 10, 2024, declare that last June 26, in the Plurinational State of Bolivia, military troops and artillery assault vehicles, under the command of the former Commander of the Army Gen. Juan José Zúñiga, together with the former Commanders of the Air Force Gen. Av. Marcelo Zegarra and of the Navy Con. Juan Arnez S, broke into the Plaza Murillo, seat of government in La Paz, with the purpose of staging a coup d’état and taking control of the government by force of arms, breaking the legitimate constitutional order”, the document approved reads.

In this regard, the Alliance made it clear its “firm rejection of any coup d’état or attempted coup d’état, in any form whatsoever, as they represent a threat to democracy, to the constitutional order, to peace and to the well-being of the people”.

ALBA also condemned the position of the President of the Argentine Republic, Javier Milei, who “continues with his aggressions against the Government and people of Bolivia.”

On the other hand, the bloc expressed unwavering commitment to the self-determination and sovereignty of Bolivia and affirmed that it is a nation of peace, “, in which we are committed to eradicate forever the use or threat of the use of force”, Jorge Arreaza read during his speech at the summit.

Here are the points approved in the Declaration of the 10th Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of ALBA-TCP:

1. Reaffirm our commitment and unrestricted support for the constitutional and legitimate government of the President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Luis Arce Catacora.
2. Congratulate President Luis Arce and his people who, in a few hours, defeated the coup plans.
3. Reaffirm that Latin America and the Caribbean is a Zone of Peace, in which we are committed to eradicate forever the use or threat of the use of force and where States promote integration and cooperation processes and friendly relations, in order to guarantee the greatest possible stability and development.
4. Demand to the Government of President Milei to immediately cease the harassment and the aggression against the legitimate Government of Bolivia, as well as offenses against other ALBA-TCP countries. We call the world’s attention to the fact that the Argentine President deploys a policy with imperialist leanings towards progressive and leftist governments, which only encourage hatred, polarization and destabilization of dignified and sovereign peoples.
5. Denounce that within the framework of the hybrid war, a brutal media and social network war, a systematic harassment, economic blockade and diverse forms of political aggression are being deployed, aimed at discrediting the government of President Arce and creating the conditions for a larger scale intervention and the shortening of his constitutional term in office.
6. Express the greatest solidarity with President Luis Arce and other public servants of his government, who are being subjected to a smear campaign by right-wing political sectors.
7. Urge the Ambassadors of the ALBA-TCP member countries around the world to develop a campaign of information and dissemination of the truth about what is happening in the Plurinational State of Bolivia and the threats it faces.
8. Call upon social movements, workers, students, peasants, indigenous peoples and intellectuals to continue to be vigilant in order to inform the whole world about the dangers that threaten the constitutional order and the democracy of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, together in solid unity, which is fundamental for the preservation and progress of the social changes of that beloved nation, and also, for the unity and defense of Our America.
9. Confirm our regional commitment to the defense of the sovereignty on the strategic resources existing in our territories, a reason for the ambition of foreign interests alien to our regional reality and perpetrators of subversive destabilization campaigns and coups d’état.
10. Reaffirm that ALBA-TCP will continue to promote the defense of the strategic resources existing in Our America from the voracious intentions of foreign forces, as well as the promotion of unity, integration, solidarity and peaceful coexistence, as an expression of the Latin American and Caribbean ideal and commitment to the construction of a region and a world of peace, as a fundamental basis for consolidating sustainable development and harmonious relations among peoples.

ALBA voices

During the summit, the representation of Nicaragua affirmed, on behalf of the people and the Government, that it defends the tranquility, security, peace, and democracy of Latin America, Central America, and the Caribbean.

“We denounce the maneuvers and military movements taking place in Bolivia, in an attempt to intimidate the efforts of the people of that brother country to transcend and advance in their own paths, according to their own democratic models”.

Furthermore, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Grenada, Joseph Andall, reiterated the full support of his people and government for President Luis Arce and for the Bolivians who defend peace and democracy.

“Our keyword must be vigilance, the mobilization of the people must be constantly present in all our political actions (…) we denounce the attempted coup in Bolivia, we consider it a frontal attack on democracy”, he added.

Similarly, the ambassador of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Norgen Wilson, expressed his support for the constitutionally elected government of Arce and called for unity throughout the region to prevent violence.

He stated that having defeated the attempted coup in Bolivia, “is not only a victory for Bolivia, it is a victory for all our brothers and sisters within ALBA, it is a victory for democracy”, Wilson highlighted.

Finally, the Minister of Finance of Dominica, Irving McIntyre, also expressed solidarity with the people of Bolivia and acknowledged the challenges faced by the democratically elected government since 2020, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dominica expressed full support for the summit declaration and expressed its gratitude to the organization of this important meeting to share and promote solidarity.