The police have detained General Juan José Zúñiga, who organized the coup attempt
A coup attempt organized by a retired military general was thwarted in La Paz, the capital of Bolivia. This was reported by WNTab on Thursday, June 27, citing Reuters.
According to journalists, a group of soldiers in armored vehicles broke into the Presidential Palace, after which the coup leader, General Juan José Zúñiga, who had recently been dismissed from his position as army commander, announced a change of power and intentions to form a new government. However, the current president of the country, Luis Arce, stated that the new commander of the country’s armed forces, José Wilson Sánchez Velásquez, had already taken the oath.
“I order all personnel mobilized on the streets to return to their units. We urge not to shed the blood of our soldiers,” the new commander-in-chief said in a speech.
After this, the military began to leave the main square of the capital, and the police took control of the area. Law enforcement officers arrested the leader of the uprising, General Zúñiga.
It is known that the general had repeatedly criticized former Bolivian President Evo Morales and even promised to arrest him if he ran for a new term. If successful, Morales would have served as the head of state for the fifth time. News about the general’s dismissal began circulating in the media on June 25, and the next evening he organized an attack on the president’s residence.
Previously, WNTab reported that NATO had selected a new Secretary General.
