After his capture, the now ex-military chief accused President Luis Arce of ordering the military operation to “boost his popularity.”
HAVANA TIMES – Juan Jose Zuñiga, ousted as the general commander of the Bolivian Army after leading an “attempted coup” against the government of Luis Arce, was arrested hours after the crisis erupted. Previously, Arce had appointed new commanders of the Bolivian Army at the headquarters of the Executive, in the midst of a military movement that he described as a “coup d’état” by Zuñiga.
The now ex-military chief was captured as he left the headquarters of the Bolivian General Staff at 7:00 p.m. (La Paz time), after leading a group of soldiers who stormed the Executive headquarters in the Bolivian capital with tanks. After his capture, Zuñiga accused President Arce of ordering the military operation to “boost his popularity.”
Zuñiga, along with a group of armed soldiers, took over Murillo Square with tanks and knocked down the door of the Casa Grande del Pueblo, the seat of the Bolivian Executive.
“I will speak in detail. On [last] Sunday, I met with the president (Luis Arce) at La Salle School, and the president told me that the situation was very bad, that this week would be critical, and that something was needed to boost his popularity,” Zuñiga said at the time of his capture.
Bolivian Prosecutor’s Office Announces Criminal Investigation
The Bolivian Prosecutor’s Office announced that a criminal investigation has been launched against Zuñiga and “all other participants” in the events that took place in Murillo Square in front of the Executive headquarters.
It also stated that it would seek the “imposition of the maximum penalty on those responsible” to defend the “legality and general interests of society and the preservation of democracy.”
President Arce and former President Evo Morales separately called on their supporters and citizens to “mobilize” to defend democracy from what both considered a “military coup” by the Bolivian Army’s general commander.
At 3:51 p.m. (La Paz time), a tank commanded by Zuñiga broke down the door of the Executive headquarters, saying he would change the “government cabinet” and release “political prisoners” like interim former President Jeanine Añez.
Añez Condemns Military Mobilization
However, former interim President of Bolivia Jeanine Añez condemned the irregular mobilization of soldiers seeking to “destroy the constitutional order” and called on Bolivian President Luis Arce and former President Evo Morales to leave through the vote in the 2025 elections.
“I totally repudiate the military mobilization in Murillo Square, attempting to destroy the constitutional order. MAS with Arce and Evo must go through the vote in 2025. Bolivians will defend democracy,” she wrote on her social
