Outgoing Bolivian President Eduardo Rodriguez fired General Manuel Antezana, the army chief of staff, for disposing of 28 shoulder-mounted, aging HN-5 Chinese-made missiles in the United States without authorization. General Antezana claimed he believed the aging missiles were potentially dangerous, and in October issued a statement that he alone was responsible for the decision, however, Antezana seems to have in the past week gone back on this claim, and further hinted that he was coerced by North American pressure to disarm. Many, including Evo Morales, the incoming leftist president, and his political party, point to as the weakening of Bolivian defenses.