RT News - June 27 2024 early Boliva - failed coup

Bolivia - failed coup. President Luis Arce has fired the general who sent troops into central La Paz, General Juan Jose Zuniga. The president has called on the citizens to unite and resist the perpetrators. Daniel Shaw (Latin American & Caribbean Studies expert) says factions are taking advantage of the divisions in the Bolivian government. The extent of "the West's" interference will be revealed. Also see below - articles 8 and 8a

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Gustavo Adrianzen the PM of Peru, said that he hoped the constitutional peace would soon be restored. Gabriel Boric of Chile echoed the same sentiments. Pres. Maduro of Venezuela said "only the people can save the people" and called for upholding the peace and constitution.
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Kenyan President Ruto will scrap the IMF-backed finance bill which has caused protests over the past days, which have been deadly. (Please see yesterday's and previous posts and reports for background). Noluvuyo Kunge reports. (An excellent Going Underground show about IMF & World Bank - Afshin Rattansi talks with Michael Hudson https://rumble.com/v359s8k-how-oligarchy-and-debt-control-us-from-ancient-greece-rome-to-the-us-imf-wo.html If you don't already subscribe to Afshin's channel I can thoroughly recommend it)
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Julian Assange is a free man and at home in Australia. Please see previous reports for background on this wonderful news and how his release panned out over the past few days. Syed Abdullah Anwar comments and says the west cannot get away with bully tactics to silence information and journalism.

A Wikileaks live leaks site concerned with the DNC and Hillary Clinton has "gone missing" from the website. Caleb Maupin reports on the rotten-ness of those posing as .govs who even seek death to silence critics and recalls some of the press hysteria used for cover-ups and the propensity to blame every else for their criminal actions, including Russia !
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Short take: Bolivia arrests failed coup leader, General Juan Jose Zuniga. He’s facing charges for terrorism and armed insurrection. The Bolivian President hails his people for standing against the military during an attempted coup. Locals express their unwavering support for their government. In a dramatic U-turn, the Kenyan president scraps a controversial, IMF-backed tax bill that sparked deadly protests in the East African nation. Julian Assange reunites with his family, and takes his first steps on Australian soil following a 14-year-long legal battle. But, the whistleblower’s legal team calls the plea deal struck with the US government a dangerous precedent.
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Articles Below :
1) Russia considers downgrading diplomatic relations with the West
2) US diplomat found dead in Kiev – media
3) Multiple injuries after Russian passenger train derailment
4) Ukraine joining EU by 2030 ‘possible’
5) West ‘unable to negotiate’ – Lavrov
6) Russia celebrates 70th anniversary of first nuclear power plant
7) NATO confirms new chief
8 & 8a - Bolivia coup attempt - more details
9) EU and Ukraine to sign security deal – Reuters
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1) Russia considers downgrading diplomatic relations with the West 27 Jun, 2024 04:19

Ukraine’s foreign backers are edging closer to the “point of no return,” a senior diplomat has said

Moscow could be forced to downgrade diplomatic ties with Western countries, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has warned, citing the hostile policies of the US and its allies.

“We have not initiated such a step yet, despite all of the things related to the most tumultuous phase in our relations with the West,” the diplomat said in an interview with the Izvestia newspaper that, published on Thursday.

“Is a decision to downgrade the level of diplomatic ties possible? I can say that we are examining this issue. Such decisions are made on the highest level,” Ryabkov said, adding that it is too early to “speculate.”

The West’s “sense of impunity” on the world stage will eventually force Russia to retaliate more decisively, if the situation does not change, the deputy minister warned.

"Our adversaries must know that, with every step, they are moving closer to the point of no return."

Ryabkov accused Washington of helping Ukrainian forces pick targets when using US-supplied long-range ATACMS missiles to strike Russian territory. Last week, four people were killed when cluster munitions from a missile hit a packed beach in Crimea. The incident prompted Moscow to summon the American ambassador. “It was a flagrant case of a direct [US] involvement in the conflict,” Ryabkov said. “The complicity in a terrorist act committed by the Kiev regime will not go unanswered.”

The diplomat said that deliveries of weapons to Ukraine and attempts to confiscate Russian assets abroad undermine potential dialogue in other fields, such as arms control. “They must understand that it would be simply impossible,” he stressed.

Earlier in June, Ukraine’s Western backers renewed their pledges to continue support for Kiev in its fight with Moscow. Russia has repeatedly stated that no amount of foreign aid will stop its operation in Ukraine, and that weapons deliveries only lead to further escalation.

https://www.rt.com/russia/600077-russia-teases-downgrading-diplomatic/
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2) US diplomat found dead in Kiev – media 26 Jun, 2024 17:28

An unnamed embassy attache has reportedly been found lifeless inside a locked room at the Hilton Hotel

An attache to the American embassy in Ukraine has been found dead in a room at Kiev’s Hilton Hotel, according to several Ukrainian news outlets.

The online portal Strana UA reported the discovery on Wednesday, citing a law enforcement source. This was followed by the outlet New Voices.

“Yesterday around 11am the body of an attache at the US embassy was found inside a room at the hotel,” Strana quoted its source as saying. “There were no signs of violence on the body.”

According to Strana’s source, the man, who had arrived in Ukraine on June 15, had shown elevated cholesterol levels in medical records provided by the US embassy. Local police have reportedly launched an investigation into the cause and circumstances of the diplomat’s death.

New Voices reported that the hotel room where the body was discovered had been locked from the inside and that no autopsy was performed, as the corpse was claimed by the US embassy.

Neither the US embassy nor the State Department has commented on Ukrainian media reports.

The US embassy in Kiev employs between 100-200 diplomats and military personnel, Foreign Policy magazine reported in March, describing it as “overstretched and understaffed” for dealing with the Ukraine-Russia conflict.

According to four anonymous sources, the State Department was planning to send up to 40 additional diplomats to Kiev to make it easier for Ambassador Bridget Brink and her deputies to travel around Ukraine.

Washington is one of Ukraine’s main backers in the conflict with Russia, supplying Kiev with billions of dollars in cash, weapons, ammunition and equipment. The US and its allies have insisted that this does not make them a party to the conflict, however, ignoring Moscow’s repeated warnings to the contrary.
https://www.rt.com/russia/600060-kiev-us-diplomat-dead/
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3) Multiple injuries after Russian passenger train derailment 26 Jun, 2024 16:44

The incident took place in the northern Republic of Komi. Video https://rumble.com/v53wz2t-passenger-train-derails-in-russia.html

At least 70 people have been injured after nine cars from a passenger train went off the tracks in Komi Republic, Russian Railways said on Thursday. Seven people are reported to be in serious condition, but there have been no confirmed deaths so far.

Train 511 was carrying passengers between Vorkuta in northeastern Komi above the Artic circle, and the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, some 5,000 kilometers away.

The derailment happened around 6:12pm Moscow time, near the town of Inta, according to the railway authorities.

“Emergency services have been dispatched to the scene. Measures are being taken to assist passengers,” Russian Railways said on Telegram. “Information about the victims is being clarified. Traffic on the section has been suspended.”

Train 511 included a total of 14 carriages with 232 passengers on board, the railway operator said. According to Russian Railways, the cause of the derailment may have been recent heavy rainfall.

Russian Railways has set up a task force headed by General Director Oleg Belozerov to look into the derailment. Two recovery trains have been sent to the location.

The office of the North-Western Transport Prosecutor has launched a criminal investigation into the derailment. Meanwhile, the head of the Republic of Komi, Vladimir Uyba, has reportedly flown to the site of the incident.
https://www.rt.com/russia/600067-train-wreck/
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4) Ukraine joining EU by 2030 ‘possible’ – envoy 26 Jun, 2024 16:12

The bloc’s ambassador in Kiev has expressed optimism about the country’s entry before the end of the decade

It would be realistic to expect membership talks between Ukraine and the EU to be finalized by the end of the decade, the bloc’s ambassador in Kiev, Katarina Mathernova, has told local media.

The EU officially launched membership negotiations with Kiev on Tuesday, after all 27 member states approved the negotiating framework.

“So far I have seen in Ukraine a lot of determination and a lot of tenacity to move quickly. So I do think that in the case of Ukraine it may take less time than before in the case of some other countries. I think that 2030 is a very realistic date,” Mathernova told RBC-Ukraine.

According to the US-educated Slovak diplomat, the next step will be “bilateral screening,” or comparing the EU’s body of laws and rules to Ukrainian regulations to identify “gaps.” That will take several months, whereupon the first “chapters” of negotiations can be opened.

The chapters act as a sort of a “checklist,” dealing with “thematic areas,” she explained. Parts of chapters 23 and 24 that “deal with the rule of law, democratic governance, anti-corruption, etc.” are not part of the EU’s acquis communautaire, but will be assessed against European standards,” Mathernova noted.

Pressed to offer a specific timeline, the envoy said it was difficult, because “each step depends on the rapidity and success of the previous step” and “a lot of the timing will depend on the preparedness and quality of the inputs.”

“Again, I know it’s a lot of jargon, but this is what we are famous for,” Mathernova told the outlet.

EU enlargement requires the consensus of all members and Ukraine has “bilateral issues with one of the countries,” the diplomat noted, not mentioning Hungary by name. “And the way to deal with it is to patiently persevere,” Mathernova added, quipping that “there is no magic formula.”

The government in Kiev applied for EU membership at the end of February 2022, following the escalation of the conflict with Russia. The current crisis dates back to 2014, when the US backed a violent coup in Kiev during a dispute in Ukraine over mutually exclusive free trade deals with Russia and the EU.

Speaking to Ukrainian media last month, Mathernova said that 2030 was “quite a realistic date” for joining the EU, even given the “completely unpredictable geopolitical environment we live in today.”

The bloc had previously named the end of the decade as the target date for admitting new members, potentially affecting Ukraine, Moldova and some parts of the former Yugoslavia.
https://www.rt.com/russia/600061-ukraine-eu-membership-talks/
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5) West ‘unable to negotiate’ – Lavrov 26 Jun, 2024 15:30

US “vassals” are willing to breach any agreements at Washington’s orders, the Russian foreign minister says

The West has repeatedly displayed its “inability to negotiate,” which has now become evident to everyone, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.

Western “vassals” of the US are willing to breach “any agreements” and violate international law upon receiving “orders” from Washington, Lavrov claimed at the Primakov Readings International Forum in Moscow.

Russia had been interested in a mutually beneficial relationship with the collective West, but building one has proven to be effectively impossible, the top diplomat argued.

“Our interest was much broader and more comprehensive, but the West was not ready for mutually beneficial, equal cooperation,” Lavrov stated. “When it needs to do something on orders from Washington, it resorts to breaking any agreements, any violations of international law.”

Moscow is now seeking to ensure its security and prevent any threats emanating from the “Western direction,” Lavrov said. The collective West, at the same time, is trying to make an example of Russia to assert its neocolonial policies, the diplomat claimed.

“The Westerners are seeking to punish our country, using our example to intimidate everyone who is pursuing or seeks to pursue an independent foreign policy, who puts national interests above all, and not the whims of the former colonial powers,” Lavrov stated.

The Western efforts to “punish” Russia, however, are doomed to fail and are “already producing effects opposite to the intended ones,” the minister insisted.

Leading Western officials have repeatedly said they are seeking to inflict a “strategic defeat” on Russia in the Ukraine conflict, or at least ensure that it does not emerge victorious. Moscow perceives the hostilities as a proxy conflict being waged by the collective West.

Russia has insisted it will fully achieve its stated military goals, but has nonetheless signaled it is ready to negotiate an end to the hostilities through a diplomatic settlement.
https://www.rt.com/russia/600063-lavrov-west-unable-negotiate/
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6) Russia celebrates 70th anniversary of first nuclear power plant 26 Jun, 2024 15:13

Among the events in the city of Obninsk is an international forum, with guests from more than 80 countries

Russia is marking the 70th anniversary of the launch of the world’s first nuclear power plant in the city of Obninsk, Kaluga Region on Wednesday. The facility, which is now a museum, has opened a new exhibition for the occasion.

The Obninsk Nuclear Power Plant was put into operation on June 26, 1954, and was phased out in 2002. Following the launch, the facility served for some time as a testing ground for pioneering nuclear technologies.

A variety of events are being held in the city on the occasion, with Russian officials and foreign guests from more than 80 countries.

The dignitaries visited the museum, which underwent months of refurbishment to recreate the historic interior design and atmosphere.

A roundtable on the promotion of Russian nuclear education abroad is also taking place in Obninsk. Rosatom’s personnel director-general, Tatyana Terentyeva, said the state-controlled corporation’s work with partner countries is long-term in nature. She added that it includes the building of nuclear power plants as well as education provided to local specialists.

As part of these efforts, the city, which is around 100km from Moscow, is hosting the Obninsk Tech Summer School for foreign students seeking to learn about key developments in the field.

On Wednesday, the Second Obninsk NEW International Youth Nuclear Forum began, devoted to the next seven decades of nuclear technology development. Representatives of more than 80 countries attended. The director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, welcomed the guests via video link.
https://www.rt.com/russia/600052-russia-anniversary-first-nuclear-power-plant/
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7) NATO confirms new chief 26 Jun, 2024 14:01

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has called Russia an “adversary” and vowed to continue supporting Ukraine

Acting Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has been officially appointed as the next NATO secretary general, replacing the Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg, the US-led military bloc has announced. Rutte will take up the post on October 1.

The decision to appoint the 57-year-old veteran politician, the longest-serving prime minister in Dutch history, known for his staunch support of Ukraine and consensus-building skills, was made on Wednesday by NATO’s main political decision-making body.

Writing on X (formerly known as Twitter) Rutte said that the appointment was “a tremendous honor” for him, adding that “the Alliance is and will remain the cornerstone of our collective security” while praising Stoltenberg for “outstanding leadership for the past 10 years.”

Rutte selection came after months of wrangling for the post, with candidates including, former UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis.

Rutte’s appointment was all but set in stone after Iohannis became the last serious rival to drop out of the race last week, while Hungary and Slovakia indicated they would back the Dutch politician. Estonia's Kallas has been widely tipped to replace Josep Borrell as EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs.

Hungary agreed to support Rutte after it was allowed to opt out of the bloc’s efforts to support Kiev, while Slovakia backed his candidacy in exchange for assurances that NATO would defend its airspace.

The appointment of Rutte comes as NATO countries continue to provide Ukraine with large-scale military support. The Dutch prime minister has described Russia as an “adversary” while advocating aiding Ukraine. At the same time, Rutte said earlier this month while the West must “ensure that Ukraine wins,” “Russia will not go away… and we have to find in the longer term a form of relationship with Russia.”

Politico has also dubbed Rutte a “Trump whisperer,” crediting him with defusing at least one tense standoff between the former US president and NATO leaders over defense spending in 2018. Commenting on Trump’s possible return to the White House, Rutte urged the bloc to “stop moaning and whining” about the GOP frontrunner. “We have to work with whoever is on the dance floor,” he stated at the Munich Security Conference in February.

Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggested on Wednesday that NATO was unlikely to change its overall policy towards Russia with Rutte at its helm. “At the moment, the alliance is hostile to us,” he added.
https://www.rt.com/news/600054-rutte-appointed-nato-chief/
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8) Leader of ‘attempted coup’ detained in Bolivia – media 26 Jun, 2024 22:52

President Luis Arce has fired the general who sent troops into central La Paz

Soldiers in armored personnel carriers have withdrawn from the central square in Bolivia’s capital, after President Luis Arce denounced what he called a coup attempt.

A group of heavily armed soldiers led by the commander of the Armed Forces, General Juan Jose Zuniga, occupied Plaza Murillo in La Paz on Wednesday and entered the presidential palace.

Arce condemned the “irregular mobilization of some units of the Bolivian Army” and dismissed Zuniga, replacing him with Jose Wilson Sanchez.

The new army chief then ordered the troops to leave the square. “All personnel that have been mobilized in the streets must return to their units,” Sanchez said in his first speech.

According to Bolivian media, Zuniga has been detained and charged with “terrorism and an armed uprising against the security and sovereignty of the state.”

Arce later appeared on the balcony of the presidential palace, and thanked his supporters. “No one can take away the democracy that we have won at the ballot box,” the president told the jubilant crowd. “We will continue working for the Bolivian people.”

Immediately after the army was deployed to La Paz, supporters of Arce and the ruling Movement for Socialism (MAS) party took to the streets, demanding that the troops return to their barracks. Many politicians and officials have denounced the actions of the army, as did the EU and most leaders of South American countries.

“We condemn the events in Bolivia. The army must submit itself to the legitimately elected civil power,” said Luis Almagro, leader of the Organization of American States (OAS).

General Zuniga has justified his actions by claiming that he wanted to “restore democracy” and free “all Bolivian political prisoners,” including former interim president Jeanine Anez and former governor of the Santa Cruz province Luis Fernando Camacho.

Anez is serving a 10-year prison sentence after being convicted of violating the constitution during the 2019 ouster of then-President Evo Morales.
https://www.rt.com/news/600075-bolivia-coup-attempt-withdrawn/

======= RELATED 26 Jun, 2024 21:56

8a) Resistance mounts against ‘coup’ in Bolivia

Mexico and Venezuela have joined Honduras in backing the government in La Paz

Bolivia’s trade unions have declared a general strike in support of the government after an army general attempted to seize power by force. Several Latin American governments have denounced the coup.

Military police and armored vehicles surrounded the government building at Plaza Murillo in the center of La Paz on Wednesday, using an armored vehicle to break down the door. President Luis Arce has condemned their actions as an attempted coup d’etat.

“We denounce to the international community that in Bolivia there has been a coup d’état against our democratically elected government,” Vice President David Choquehuanca said on X (formerly Twitter).

Responding to calls by former President Evo Morales, Bolivia’s confederation of trade unions has announced an indefinite general strike. The Central Obrera Boliviana (COB) has called for all members to rally in La Paz to defend the government from the coup.

General Juan Jose Zuniga, who appears to be in charge of the mutinous units around the palace, has announced the release of leaders from the 2019 coup, whom he called “political prisoners.” Among those to be released are Luis Fernando Camacho, Jeanine Anez and several imprisoned military officers, according to Kawsachun News.

In the 2019 coup, military and the police joined opposition lawmakers to oust Morales, who then sought asylum in Mexico. His party returned to power the following year, when Arce was elected.

https://x.com/JeanineAnez/status/1806056057136959714 Anez, however, tweeted out her “total repudiation” of the military’s actions at Plaza Murillo, accusing Zuniga of “attempting to destroy the constitutional order.”

“The [Movement for Socialism] with Arce and Evo must leave through the vote in 2025,” added Anez, who served as interim president in 2019. “We Bolivians will defend democracy.”

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the outgoing president of Mexico, condemned the coup attempt, voicing his “total support” for Arce and the “authentic democratic authority of that brotherly country.”

President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela has also denounced the coup in Bolivia and declared that Venezuela was “in emergency and in permanent action, in support of the people of Bolivia” and Arce’s government.

President Xiomara Castro of Honduras was among the first to denounce the coup and call on the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) to “condemn the fascism that today attacks democracy in Bolivia.”

Morales has claimed that the 2019 coup was carried out with the backing of the US and the Organization of American States (OAS), speculating that it may have been motivated by greed for Bolivia’s reserves of lithium.
https://www.rt.com/news/600074-bolivia-coup-resistance-denounced/

see also videos https://rumble.com/v53y5oz-dialogue-is-not-a-typical-bolivian-tool-in-case-of-insurrections-venezuelan.html
https://rumble.com/v53xln1-military-coup-attempt-in-bolivia.html

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9) EU and Ukraine to sign security deal – Reuters 26 Jun, 2024 20:57

The bloc has pledged long-term support for Kiev in the conflict with Moscow

Brussels intends to sign a defense pact with Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky on Thursday, Reuters has reported, citing a draft document leaked to the outlet in advance.

The deal is intended to show the EU’s long-term support for Kiev as the conflict with Moscow shows no sign of ending soon. Ukraine has “no immediate prospect” of joining either the EU or NATO, Reuters said.

“Today, Ambassador Igor Zhovkva and I wrapped up discussions on the joint security commitments between the EU and Ukraine,” Charles Fries, the French diplomat who is the deputy secretary-general for ‘Peace, Security and Defense’ at the EU External Action Service, said on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday. “The EU is fully united and resolved to support Ukraine, whatever it takes.”

According to the draft, the agreement obligates the bloc to help Kiev in nine areas of security and defense policy, from weapons deliveries and training of the Ukrainian military, to demining and “defense industry cooperation.”

Zelensky himself is supposed to sign it in Brussels on Thursday, while making an unannounced visit to the summit of EU member state leaders.

The security agreement isn’t quite a mutual defense pact, but a pledge that the EU will provide Ukraine with weapons and other aid against “future invasion,” according to anonymous officials who spoke to Reuters. In the event of “future aggression,” the deal obligates the EU and Ukraine to consult within 24 hours and “swiftly determine” their next steps.

It does not specify the value or quantity of future military aid, beyond acknowledging the bloc’s agreement to fund the Ukrainian military to the tune of €5 billion this year, while “further comparable annual increases could be envisaged until 2027.”

Similar security treaties with Kiev have already been made by the US, UK, France, and Germany. Western powers have sought to formalize the ad-hoc funding to Kiev in case of election upsets later this year.

The EU agreement’s commitments will remain in effect “as Ukraine pursues its European path” and will be reviewed within ten years, Reuters said. The bloc formally opened negotiations for Ukraine’s eventual membership on Tuesday, with the EU ambassador in Kiev speculating that the process could be complete by 2030.
https://www.rt.com/news/600073-eu-ukraine-security-deal/
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