Bolivia arrests 17 people involved in failed coup attempt
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Bolivian authorities have detained over a dozen people involved in the failed coup attempt that struck the country a few days ago.
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People arrested in connection with the previous day's uprising are presented by police to the press in La Paz, Bolivia, Thursday, June 27, 2024 (AP)
Bolivian police forces have arrested at least a dozen military officers complicit in the coup attempt, according to Bolivian Interior Minister Carlos Eduardo Castillo on Wednesday.
"So far, about a dozen soldiers who conspired to overthrow the democratically elected government have already been detained," Bolivian state-run news agency Abi cited Castillo as saying, adding that authorities had enough information to discover the entire network involved in the coup.
In a press conference on Thursday, the minister stated that more individuals had been detained, and testimonies indicate that the coup had been planned since May.
"A total of 17 people have been detained over attempting a coup d'etat. In order not to jeopardize the investigation, we are disclosing only very abridged data about the reconnaissance and operative work carried out by the Bolivian police at the moment," he said.
Bolivia coup fails
The coup attempt in Bolivia failed upon the withdrawal of the military forces from La Paz and the arrest of coup plotter and former Commander-in-Chief Juan Jose Zuniga.
Supporters of Bolivian President Luis Arce gathered at Murillo Square in La Paz on Wednesday, celebrating the withdrawal of military forces involved in the attempted coup.
The show of support came as President Arce, accompanied by Vice President David Choquehuanca, greeted the crowd from the balcony of the presidential palace, which had been targeted by the military earlier in the day.
Bolivia TV reported that dozens of people assembled at the square, chanting pro-Arce slogans. "Long live democracy! We want to celebrate the bravery of the Bolivian people who have gathered at the square," President Arce declared.
President Arce denounced the events as a coup attempt and emphasized the need to uphold democratic principles. In response to the crisis, Arce appointed new heads of the military, air force, and navy.
