La Paz, August 14, 2025 – Bolivian President Luis Arce Catacora announced a surprise change in the Armed Forces’ Military High Command on Thursday, just three days ahead of the general elections. In a ceremony at the Casa Grande del Pueblo, he swore in Rear Admiral Gustavo Primitivo Anibarro Escobar as interim Commander-in-Chief, along with new interim commanders for the Army, Air Force, and Navy.
Defense Minister Edmundo Novillo defended the move as a constitutional prerogative aimed at ensuring institutional stability. However, analysts and citizens questioned both the timing and the motives behind the reshuffle. Lawyer and former military officer Omar Durán described the decision as an “accidental appointment” that does not fulfill the constitutional role, suggesting the outgoing High Command had been critical of the government. “This change seeks to secure loyalty at a key moment,” Durán warned, noting his history of denouncing irregularities in the Armed Forces.
On the streets of La Paz and on social media platform X, the news triggered surprise and suspicion. “It’s no coincidence they change the military right before the elections,” commented one user, echoing a widespread sentiment in a country grappling with a deep economic crisis marked by shortages of U.S. dollars and fuel.
The political climate adds further uncertainty: the precedents of 2019 and the alleged coup attempt of 2024 keep the debate over Armed Forces’ neutrality alive. While Arce assured in his speech that his government “will never use the military against the people” and urged them to “preserve peace and democracy,” the lack of detailed explanations for the reshuffle fuels speculation.
With presidential elections set for August 17, the shake-up in the military leadership has become yet another flashpoint in a deeply polarized nation already strained by political and economic turmoil.
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