Bolivia government had prior intelligence of coup planning, minister says
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Bolivian General Juan Jose Zuniga is presented to the media, following his arrest by the authorities for the attempted coup.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LA PAZ - The Bolivian government had intelligence that a coup attempt could occur before the country's top military commander and his troops forced their way into the presidential palace, a senior government minister said on June 27.
The failed coup on June 26
In an interview with local broadcaster Unitel, Interior Minister Eduardo del Castillo said that President Luis Arce had received reports about "destabilisation attempts," though he cautioned that the government did not know more at the time.
The mobilisation of military units on June 26 saw the country's military commander gather troops in the main square of capital La Paz, ramming a palace door with an armoured vehicle to allow soldiers to rush into the building.
The soldiers ultimately withdrew and police regained control of the plaza, with Mr Arce slamming the coup attempt and swiftly naming a new top general.
The former commander, General Juan Jose Zuniga, was arrested as well as former Navy commander Juan Arnez Salvador, Mr del Castillo said, noting that about a dozen military officers have been detained and could face prison terms of between 15 and 30 years.
Gen Zuniga had recently said that Mr Arce's former mentor-turned-political-rival, ex-president Evo Morales, should not be able to run again for president and threatened to block him if he attempted to do so.
The commander had been told on the evening of June 25 that he would be stripped of his position as his conduct "was not in line with the Constitution," according to Mr del Castillo.
He recalled that Gen Zuniga reacted calmly to the news.
"But no one could have imagined that the next day, before the official handover in posts, there would be a failed coup in our country," he said.
Late on June 26, Minister of the Presidency Maria Nela Prada told reporters that Gen Zuniga confessed to police and said the coup attempt failed because reinforcements did not arrive in time.
But as he was being arrested, Gen Zuniga publicly said that he had been instructed to carry out the coup at Mr Arce's direction in order to boost the president's popularity, which Mr Prada later denied. REUTERS
Bolivian president Luis Arce (left) confronting army general Juan Jose Zuniga, on June 26, in La Paz.
PHOTO: REUTERS
