“I know Evo (Morales) well, I know Luis Arce well, I am friends with both of them, from before they were presidents, from before I was president. I will be in Santa Cruz de la Sierra on the 9th,” Lula confirmed during an interview with Itatiaia radio.
He noted that he will hold a meeting with Bolivian businessmen and show that “only democracy is capable of allowing Bolivia to grow.”
The founder of the Workers’ Party also highlighted that during his visit he seeks to strengthen democracy in that country.
“I am against the coup, I am in favor of democracy, so I am going there to strengthen Luis Arce, strengthen democracy and show businessmen that it is very important for Bolivia to remain governed democratically,” he said.
According to Lula, despite its mineral wealth, Bolivia is an isolated country without access to the sea, and the Brazilian Government is promoting an infrastructure project to facilitate the connections of the Andean nation with the South American giant and Peru.
The day before, former Army Commander General Juan José Zúñiga announced a coup d’état in Bolivia.
The soldier went as far as the Palacio Quemado, the seat of the Executive in La Paz, the Bolivian capital, in a military vehicle. However, he was arrested by the police hours later.
“We have total and absolute control of our Armed Forces, through the military command. Everything is already under control. And the investigation processes in the ordinary and military field will run,” said the Minister of Defense, Edmundo Novillo, this Thursday in a press conference surrounded by high-ranking officials of the Armed Forces.
He announced at the Casa Grande del Pueblo (government headquarters) that a “deep and severe investigation has been ordered for those who are the authors of this regrettable and shameful act, who must receive all the punishment that the population expects.”
The frustrated riot reached the political epicenter of Bolivia, Murillo Square, with hundreds of armed troops reinforced with tanks, and lasted for more than five hours with the resistance of the population in defense of democracy.
rgh/ocs
