Juan José Zúñiga will spend 6 months in preventive prison; he is accused of “terrorism” and armed rebellion
General Juan José Zúñiga was transferred to a maximum security prison this Saturday (June 29, 2024), according to the Bolivian newspaper The Reason. He is accused of leading a failed coup to try to take the Presidency of Bolivia from Luis Arce (Movimiento al Socialismo, left). The soldier will be detained preventively for 6 months in the Chonchocoro penitentiary, near La Paz, the country’s capital, while the episode is investigated.
Along with Zúñiga, former Navy commander Juan Arnez and former Army Mechanized Brigade commander Colonel Edison Irahola were also taken to the scene. The three soldiers are accused of “terrorism” and armed rebellion. Penalties can be up to 20 years in prison.
So far, 21 people have been arrested, including active duty soldiers, reservists and civilians. It is estimated that around 200 soldiers participated in the action.
UNDERSTAND THE CASE
At 3:57 pm (Brasília time) on Wednesday (June 26), the president of Bolivia, Luis Arce, announced the coup attempt after armored vehicles and military personnel parked on the corners of Plaza Murillo, where the Quemado Palace, the seat of the Bolivian Presidency, and the Plurinational Legislative Assembly are located, in the city of La Paz.
Watch (1min39s):
The movement was led by general Juan José Zúñiga, former commander of the Bolivian Army dismissed on Tuesday (June 25) after criticizing former Bolivian president Evo Morales. To journalists, Zúñiga he said that the military were looking for “restore democracy” and called for the immediate release of political prisoners.
Images shared on social media showed the moment a tank hit the entrance to the presidential palace in La Paz.
The antidemocratic uprising of some units of the Bolivian Army only deserves the most energetic repudiation.
My unconditional support to President Luis Arce and I call for the firm defense of democracy. Let us not allow the will of the people to be overwhelmed. Strength… pic.twitter.com/20lbVoCji4
— Alberto Fernández (@alferdez) June 26, 2024
In another record, the Bolivian president appeared facing General Zúñiga outside the palace.
🔷 Moment when the president of Bolivia @LuchoXBolivia confront the military coup plotters
🔹 Arce ordered the Gral. Juan José Zúñiga replenishes forces immediately
📌 Courtesy pic.twitter.com/uGD3hjTmlk
— Agencia Venezuela News (@VNVenezuelanews) June 26, 2024
Arce changed the command of the Army because of the coup attempt. Next to the president at Palácio Quemado, the new commander, José Wilson Sánchez, ordered the troops to retreat. “I ask, I order that all personnel who are mobilized must return to their units”he declared.
Around 7pm (Brasília time) this Wednesday (June 26), the soldiers began to leave Murillo Square.
In the same, Zúñiga said that the coup was ordered by Arce to “increase your popularity”. However, he did not present any evidence.
“On Sunday, I met with the president. He told me that the situation is ‘fucking’, that the week is critical and that something would be needed to increase his popularity. So I asked: ‘Do we remove the armored vehicles?’ and he said, ‘Take it off.’ On the same day, the armored vehicles began to be prepared.”the general said at the time.
The military man had been dismissed from his post one day before the uprising, on Tuesday (June 26), after criticizing Evo Morales. During an interview, he said that the former president could no longer hold the position, declaring that he would not allow “the Constitution was trampled on, that it disobeyed the mandate of the people”.
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