The three alleged perpetrators of Wednesday’s failed coup in Bolivia have been placed in provisional detention for six months by the courts, the prosecutor’s office announced on Friday.
General Juan José Zuniga, former head of the army, Vice Admiral Juan Arnez, former head of the navy, and Alejandro Irahola, former head of the army’s mechanized brigade, will be held in a high-security prison on the outskirts of El Alto, a city near La Paz.
“This provisional detention ordered by the judge will undoubtedly create a precedent, and constitutes a good signal so that the investigation can continue to advance,” said prosecutor Cesar Siles.
The three officers suspected of trying to overthrow President Luis Arce on Wednesday are accused of armed uprising and terrorism and face sentences of up to 20 years in prison, the magistrate said on state television.
Dozens of protesters gathered Friday outside the prosecutor’s office and police headquarters where Mr. Zuniga is being held in La Paz, holding pro-democracy signs.
“People who want to enter by force, with machine guns, tanks, cannot govern. We are not going to allow that, regardless of the government in place,” Juan Fernandez, aged 15, told AFP. 44 years.
A total of 21 active, retired and civilian military personnel were arrested in connection with the attempted coup, in which troops equipped with tanks besieged the presidential palace for several hours before retreating.
General Zuniga claimed to have acted on orders from the president who asked him to “stage something to increase his popularity”.
– Political turbulence –
Mr. Arce vigorously denied: “How could anyone order or plan a self-coup? (…) He acted on his own.”
Among the 21 people arrested is also General Marcelo Zegarra, former head of the Air Force, who is due to appear before the judges in the coming hours. He had appeared at the prosecutor’s office with his two lawyers.
Sergeant Alan Condori, who was driving the armored vehicle that attempted to ram one of the doors of the presidential palace, was also arrested.
With this failed coup d’état, Bolivia enters a new period of political turbulence against a backdrop of economic crisis.
The 2025 presidential election is whetting appetites, while unease reigns within the military institution against a backdrop of popular discontent over rising prices and shortages in a country whose gas and lithium resources are causing criticism. international interest.
With just over a year to go until the end of his term, which began in 2020, Mr. Arce faces multiple fronts.
Particularly on the political level with a wing of his party, the Movement towards Socialism (MAS), remained loyal to former president Evo Morales (2006-2019) who intends to represent himself under the banner of the MAS which he created .
Evo Morales, the first indigenous head of state who ruled for three terms, wants to return to power despite a decision by the Constitutional Court prohibiting him from doing so on the grounds that he has already served more than the number of terms allowed by the constitution. A decision that he contests and considers “political”.
Evo Morales demanded on Friday the opening of an investigation after questioning the official version: “The coup d’état begins, the ministers are joyfully walking in Murillo Square, they touch tanks; a coup d’état with zero injuries, zero shots, zero deaths,” he said at a press conference.
He called on his supporters to mobilize in favor of democracy, without ever mentioning Mr. Arce.
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