According to the Interior Minister, the detainees include the “mastermind” of the coup, who is a civilian. The government is still investigating possible suspects and conspirators.
The Government of Bolivia announced this Thursday that 17 people were arrested for their alleged involvement in the attempted coup d’état that shook the South American country on Wednesday, plunged into a serious economic crisis.
The nation of 12 million people watched in shock and bewilderment on Wednesday as military forces appeared to rise up against the government of President Luis Arce, who seized control of the capital’s main square with armored vehicles, rammed a tank into the gates of the presidential palace in an attempt to break in and fired tear gas at protesters there.
Bolivian coup attempt fails. Detained military leader accuses president of instigating operation
In the following hours, the Army general who led the coup attempt, Juan José Zúñiga, and an alleged accomplice, former Navy Vice Admiral Juan Arnez Salvador, were arrested and remain in custody.
The Minister of the Interior of Bolivia, Eduardo del Castillo, did not provide details about the other 15 people who were detained, only indicating that one of them is a civilian identified as Aníbal Aguilar Gómez, whom he referred to as the “brain” of the frustrated coup.
Del Castillo added that the government is looking for more suspects and that the alleged conspirators began developing their plan in May.
Supporters of the Bolivian head of state gathered this Thursday at the door of the presidential palace in La Paz, repeating pro-democracy slogans.
Riot police were deployed to guard the palace gates, and Arce, who has struggled to manage the country’s shortage of foreign currency and fuel, condemned Zuniga.
Source: Observadora
