 He thanked the people of Bolivia for supporting democracy, and the crowd began singing the national anthem. Wow, I'm just trying to get my head around all of these turns in just three hours. Were there any indications that such drama and attempted coup was going to take place? Bolivia has been wracked by protests, mostly about the dismal economy that's struggling. There's a scarcity of dollars and food shortages. Arce is unpopular and has been accused of making some undemocratic moves, especially with the opposition. Some are in jail.