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Bolivia coupe, & more!

Good Afternoon - Tomorrow marks the 1 year mark of The Voyage’s first edition, since then we have amassed roughly 500 readers who tune in every week. At the end of this week’s edition will be a link to Edition #001.

Cheers to the growth we will achieve in the next 365 days, & many years to come.

Global Insights

Coup in Bolivia

A recent coup attempt in Bolivia was attempted to remove current president Luis Arce, led by U.S backed General Juan José Zúñiga, was swiftly halted in a dramatic sequence of events.

Zuningas reasoning behind the coupe: Prior to the attack on the presidential palace, Zúñiga addressed reporters in the square, citing rising dissatisfaction in Bolivia. The country, which faces economic difficulties such as depleted central bank reserves and pressure on the Boliviano currency due to dwindling gas exports, is experiencing heightened tensions. "Stop destroying, stop impoverishing our country, stop humiliating our army," 

Essentially arguing that President Arce is impoverishing the country.

Armored vehicles breached the government palace in an effort to remove President Luis Arce from power. His response, alongside widespread public support shown through nationwide demonstrations with flags, compelled the troops to withdraw.

President Arce personally confronted General Zúñiga at the Presidential Palace and emerged from the confrontation successfully. In a national address, he thanked Bolivians for their swift mobilization and reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding democracy. Meanwhile, General Zúñiga was detained by his own forces amid the unfolding crisis.

Tensions are rising in Bolivia ahead of the 2025 general elections. Former President Evo Morales, a leftist figure, plans to run against his former ally, current President Arce. This has caused a notable split within the ruling socialist party and has heightened political uncertainty.

Morales previously governed Bolivia from 2006 to 2019 until he was removed amidst widespread protests. His potential return is met with opposition from many who prefer to move past his presidency. Following Morales' departure, an interim conservative government took charge, and Arce was elected president in 2020.

Bolivia is apart of the lithium triangle, along with Argentina and Chile. Lithium, crucial for powering our phones, laptops, and electric cars, is indispensable in our battery-driven world. These three countries in the Lithium Triangle control over 75 percent of the global supply found beneath their salt flats, Bolivia alone making up 24 percent of global lithium supply.

In December 2023, Rosatom ( A Russian energy company based out of Moscow) and Bolivia's state-owned company YLB signed an agreement to jointly develop lithium. Just a month prior to this agreement, during President Luis Arce's visit to Russia, Bolivia formally applied to join BRICS.

Bolivia has experienced numerous coup attempts since the 1950s, more than any other country.

Most recently, the 2019 resignation of Morales under pressure was labeled a coup by the MAS party.

Trending

Iranian elections on U.S Soil

The Biden administration has allowed Iran to establish absentee voter sites in the United States for its upcoming presidential election.

Iranian citizens will have the opportunity to vote at 30 voting stations spread across the country, including at the Interests Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran at the Pakistani Embassy in Washington, DC, during the election scheduled for June 28th.

This practice of permitting ballot boxes for Iranian presidential elections on U.S. soil has been consistent under both the Trump and Biden administrations.

In Iran, candidates need to get 50% of the votes to win. If no one achieves this, there will be a runoff election. This election will decide who succeeds the late Ebrahim Raisi.

Strategically, this offers an advantage to the United States. Most Iranians living in the United States are generally liberal and pro-western, and will vote so in these elections.

New vaccine study

A new study published by medical professionals suggests that in individuals who died after receiving COVID-19 vaccinations, about 73.9% of cases were found to be directly or significantly linked to the vaccination.

The authors emphasize the need to investigate potential causal links between the vaccines and deaths due to the rapid production of vaccines and the large number of adverse event reports. Their research involved analyzing autopsies and post-mortem examinations to determine any associations.

The study focused on 325 autopsy cases, with an average time from vaccination to death of 14.3 days.

Julian Assange

Julian Assange, founder of Wikileaks, was granted release after pleading guilty on Wednesday to a single felony charge for publishing US military documents in federal court.

US District Judge Ramona Manglona accepted his plea at a federal courthouse on Saipan, part of the Northern Mariana Islands, a US territory.

Assange received a sentence of 5 years, which is equivalent to the amount of time he has already served in the U.K and was used as a “credit” towards his sentence. Assange was allowed to return to his home country of Australia.

Basics of Julian Assange here

History & Culture - The C.I.A before the C.I.A

Before World War II, the United States entrusted intelligence gathering primarily to foreign-policy experts and elements within the military. However, the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 underscored the need for a dedicated intelligence agency, leading to the establishment of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) on June 13, 1942.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed William J. Donovan, a decorated World War I veteran, as its director. Donovan envisioned the OSS as a comprehensive intelligence center, blending research and analysis with covert operations, counterintelligence, espionage, and technological development—elements foundational to today's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

Central to the OSS's success was its Research and Analysis Branch, staffed by some of America's brightest minds. This branch provided critical intelligence assessments that shaped U.S and the allies strategies, including evaluations of bombing campaigns in Europe and preparations for post-war occupation. The OSS also pioneered innovative operational tactics, such as forming Operational Groups and Jedburgh teams. These groups conducted clandestine missions behind enemy lines in Europe and Asia, supporting resistance movements and gathering vital intelligence.

A clandestine operation, also known as a covert operation, is an intelligence or military mission conducted discreetly & is not detected by the general population or specific enemy forces.

In the Pacific theater, OSS Detachment 101 operated in Burma, utilizing local tribesmen to gather intelligence and disrupt Japanese forces ahead of conventional Allied advances. Additionally, the OSS launched the Free Thai movement, training operatives to infiltrate occupied Thailand, gather intelligence, and support local resistance efforts.

The OSS laid the groundwork for modern intelligence practices, emphasizing centralized analysis and innovative operational techniques. Many OSS personnel and practices seamlessly transitioned into the CIA after World War II, shaping the agency's foundational principles and operational ethos.

Fast Facts

• The GDP of New York City alone is roughly 1.2T

• The oldest city in Africa is Faiyum, Egypt, which dates back to 2181 BC

• 67 percent of CNN viewers thought Trump won last nights presidential debate

Shallow men believe in luck or in circumstance. Strong men believe in cause and effect.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Edition #001