 On 9 November, Morales organized a meeting and ordered the military to put down protesters, with officers present rejecting Morales' orders according to former general Fernando Sánchez.According to "The Wall Street Journal", following this meeting, officers feared of "violent military suppression" similar to 2003 protests during the Bolivian gas conflict, which happened before Morales become president.At this time, all UTOP officers had left their positions, leaving Morales vulnerable to protesters.