Bolivian authorities arrested former army commander Juan José Zúñiga on Wednesday night in La Paz, accusing him of terrorism and armed uprising in connection with an attempted coup against President Luis Arce.
Zúñiga was taken into custody outside a military barracks and was later transferred to the police headquarters of the Special Force to Fight Crime (FELCC), where he will be questioned by prosecutors.
The former commander was removed from his post earlier in the day by President Arce, who had accused him of leading an “irregular mobilization” of army units.
Zúñiga had claimed that Arce had asked him to lead a movement of army soldiers and tanks, saying that the president had told him the situation was “very screwed” and that he needed to “boost his popularity.” He said that he was instructed to mobilize the tanks and bring them to the Plaza de Armas in La Paz, where the Government Palace and presidential offices are located.
However, the attempted coup was ultimately unsuccessful and was put down after about five hours. Zúñiga’s arrest comes amid controversy surrounding his comments about the possibility of arresting former President Evo Morales, who is considering running for office again.
All political sectors in Bolivia have criticized Zúñiga’s actions, saying that the military should not interfere in political matters.
AFP