As a photojournalist, Carey Moots thrives on adventure, so he jumped at the chance for an assignment last month in South America.

Finding himself in the middle of a coup attempt was not what he had in mind, however, even at an income of $1,000 a day.

But that’s what happened to Moots, a former chief photographer for KOB-TV in Albuquerque and lifelong Rio Ranchoan. On the Sunday after Thanksgiving, Moots, 46, flew to Dallas and then to Miami, where he met up with the producer for a segment or two for United Methodist Communications (UMTV).

From there, they flew to Bolivia, stopping first in La Paz and deplaning in Santa Cruz.

What they didn’t realize is that while they were en route to Bolivia, there was an attempt to overthrow the government.

Imagine Moots’ surprise to see armed soldiers — “ a heavy military presence,” is how he worded it — at the airport, where the English-speaking man who was to greet them was a no-show.

“The airport was on the verge of being shut down,” he said.

The two were whisked by a few non-English speaking people there from the church to an automobile waiting outside.

“We were hustled out of town. I saw people pushing boulders onto the road, people using front-end loaders dumping earth, blocking traffic,” Moots said.

Crammed into the backseat under a lot of his equipment and baggage, he had the foresight of calling his wife, Sumiko, at the couple’s home.

Quickly telling her not to worry while his international cell phone was within range of a tower, he said, “Honey, I think everything’s going to be all right. … She could tell I was concerned, (but) I didn’t know what t ... was happening.”

Apparently not totally trusting her husband’s words, Sumiko Moots dispatched an email to a lot of the family’s friends, telling them, in part, “I’m writing to ask for your prayers for Carey’s safety. … He has had to cancel his original plans in that country due to the number of people who have been killed in riots in the towns in which he planned to work. At this time, we do not know where he is or whom he is with.  We have been able to determine that the Bolivian government has not flagged his passport.  I have been in contact with officials in Sen. Domenici’s office, as well as the governor’s office.

“… we are hopeful that he is safe, simply laying low in a remote region that does not have cell service and he will call as soon as he is able.  Please keep him in your prayers.”

Moots doesn’t know if the prayers helped or not. Taken to the village of Montero, he slept in a bed, waking up the next morning to hear an eerie silence. He went for a walk around the village.

He soon found out that officials in Montero had been late in receiving the news, but he found out “papers” were required for safe travel. Somehow, paperwork was obtained to transport the remainder of the UM TV crew from Santa Cruz to Montero, and the work began.

“We went to a mission school in Montero, shot some pictures,” he said. “Like none of the kids showed up for school, so it was a waste of time.”

Then, as quickly as it had begun, the attempt to overthrow President Evo Morales was over. It was Nov. 30, his wife’s birthday and he called home to tell her he was OK.

Moots later learned that at least two people, including a police officer, had been killed in riots in Sucre, Bolivia’s capital city.

“As a photojournalist from the U.S., (I know) we’re not the most-loved country,” he said. “I was a little scared.” I’d turned down going to Iraq because of my family.”

The assignment was completed, Moots said, still thinking about a remote village high in the Andes Mountains, where the people didn’t even have outhouses. He also saw the Imara, descendants of the Inca Indians.

“I was blown away n I never saw such poverty,” he said. “(But) they have an incredibly good attitude about it. They don’t know anything else.”

The villagers there, he said, “grow 32 varieties of potatoes. I’m Irish n I thought I knew everything about potatoes.”

Moots said that although he’s in good shape, schlepping his video equipment in the 12,000-14,000 foot altitude of the Andes left him huffing and puffing.

“It was very cold,” he added.

He returned to Albuquerque on Dec. 4, the three children he and Sumiko have, plus a son by a first marriage, happy to see him safe and sound.

Despite the Bolivian nightmare, another adventure awaits Moots.

“I leave for Sierra Leone next month,” he said, adding he’ll be sure to check the political climate of that West African country before boarding his flight.