Unraveling Bolivia’s Failed Coup: What We Know
Bolivian General Juan Jose Zuniga, who led troops to the square in front of the government building, has been arrested by the public prosecutor’s office, Bolivia TV reported.
A criminal investigation has been launched against him. The authorities say they have the situation in the country under full control.
TASS has compiled the most important things that are known about the situation in the country at the moment.
What we know about coup attempt
- On June 26, a group of Bolivian military officers led by General Juan Jose Zuniga, who was dismissed as army commander on June 25, occupied the square in front of the government building in La Paz.
- Zuniga demanded that democracy be “restored” and that several prisoners be released, including the country’s former acting president, Jeanine Anez.
- Bolivian President Luis Arce slammed the military’s actions as an attempted coup and named a new commander of the armed forces.
- The new commander of the Bolivian armed forces, Jose Wilson Sanchez, ordered all servicemen to return to their units. The military then began to leave the square.
- Bolivian Defense Minister Edmundo Novillo said that the authorities are in full control of the country’s armed forces after the coup attempt. According to the minister, all units have been ordered to return to their duties as of Thursday.
- At least nine people were wounded in the coup attempt, according to the country’s interior minister, Carlos del Castillo.
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Detentions, investigations
- The Bolivian public prosecutor’s office has opened a criminal investigation into Zuniga and other participants in the events and has ordered the rebel general’s arrest.
- The warrant states that “Zuniga and others [involved in the coup attempt] are suspected of committing acts of terrorism and armed rebellion against public security and state sovereignty.”
- The general gave his version of the events to the media, saying that he communicated with President Luis Arce on June 23 and the head of state asked him to take these actions to help boost his popularity.
- The former commander of the Bolivian Navy, Juan Arnes Salvador, was also detained in connection with the attempted coup.
- The country’s interior minister, Carlos del Castillo, said that a group of other people remained under suspicion.
International reaction
- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed grave concern about the attempted military coup in Bolivia and called for preserving constitutional order in the country.
- Authorities in Nicaragua, Panama, Guatemala, Venezuela, and Brazil condemned the events in the country.
- Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel slammed the coup attempt in Bolivia as an outrage.
- Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador declared his full support for the current head of state, Luis Arce.
Unraveling Bolivia’s Failed Coup: What We Know
