Two major military leaders that led a coup against the government of Bolivia botched by large crowds of civilians on Wednesday have been arrested.
The Bolivia military coup was thwarted as citizens outnumbered National Police and Military troops, forcing the security operatives to withdraw from the Presidential Palace and run for safety to avoid using their weapons to kill innocent civilians as seen in the videos posted online by residents and eyewitnesses.
Former Army and Navy commanders, Juan José Zúñiga and Juan Arnez Salvador were identified as the main architects of the coup attempt and were arrested immediately.
Bolivia Defense Minister, Edmundo Novillo reportedly confirmed that Juan Jose Zuniga was dismissed on Tuesday night by President Luis Arce.
At a press conference, Interior Minister, Eduardo del Castillo said the two officers would be tried for crimes related to internal security.
Troops led by Bolivia’s army general, commander Juan Jose Zuniga had attempted a coup by seizing the presidential palace and surrounding square.
Reports said a tank rammed the palace doors. However, after international condemnation and pressure, General Zuniga ordered his soldiers to retreat within hours.
President Arce praised the withdrawal as a win for Bolivia’s democracy and addressed the nation following protests against the alleged coup attempt.
According to Reuters; “Bolivian armed forces pulled back from the presidential palace in La Paz and a general was arrested after President Luis Arce slammed a ‘coup’ attempt against the government and called for international support.
Earlier in the day, military units led by General Juan Jose Zuniga, recently stripped of his military command, had gathered in the central Plaza Murillo square, home to the presidential palace and Congress.
“Today the country is facing an attempted coup d’état. Today the country faces once again interests so that democracy in Bolivia is cut short,” Arce said in comments from the presidential palace, with armed soldiers outside.
“The Bolivian people are summoned today. We need the Bolivian people to organize and mobilize against the coup d’état in favor of democracy.”
A few hours later, a Reuters witness saw soldiers withdraw from the square and police take control of the plaza. Bolivian authorities arrested Zuniga and took him away, though their destination was unclear.
Inside the presidential palace, Arce swore in José Wilson Sanchez as the military commander, Zuniga’s former role. He called for calm and order to be restored.
“I order that all personnel mobilized on the streets return to their units,” Sanchez said. “We entreat that the blood of our soldiers not be spilled.”
“Tensions have been building in Bolivia ahead of general elections in 2025, with leftist ex-President Evo Morales planning to run against former ally Arce, creating a major rift in the ruling socialist party and wider political uncertainty.
“Many do not want a return of Morales, who governed from 2006 to 2019 when he was ousted amid widespread protests and replaced by an interim conservative government. Arce then won election in 2020”, according to Reuters.
We had reported on Wednesday that irregular movement and mobilization of soldiers have been observed around the Presidential Palace in Bolivia and the state capital Central Square, igniting a fear of possible military coup in the South America country.
Bolivian President Luis Arce denounced the ‘irregular mobilization’ of some army units in La Paz and former leader Evo Morales accused a top general of plotting a coup.
A recent video showed the Bolivian President, Luis Arce in a direct face to face confrontation with the leader behind the attempted military coup in Bolivia, right at the entrance of the Presidential Palace.
Photos and videos taken outside Bolivia’s presidential palace in La Paz on Wednesday, June 26, and posted online showed military police outside the main entrance as an armored vehicle rammed into the door of the palace.
Soldiers were also seen firing tear gas outside the Legislative Assembly as President Luis Arce raised alarm of an irregular deployment of troops in the capital.
Bolivian television also showed Arce confronting the Juan José Zúñiga, the general commander of the army in a hallway in the palace.
“I am your captain, and I order you to withdraw your soldiers, and I will not allow this insubordination,” Arce said.
Zúñiga told journalists before entering the palace: “Surely soon there will be a new Cabinet of ministers; our country, our state cannot go on like this.”
He added that “for now” he recognizes President Arce as commander in chief”, the AP reports.
Protests in Bolivia have intensified in the last few months as the Bolivian economy worsens and Arce and his former ally, former President Evo Morales have been fighting for the future of the country’s Movement for Socialism (MAS) ahead of 2025 elections.
Bolivian armed forces took over the capital’s central square on Wednesday, and an armored vehicle rammed through the entrance to the presidential palace followed by soldiers, igniting fears of a military coup.
Residents said heavily armed soldiers and armored vehicles were seen gathering in the central square, Plaza Murillo, while an armored vehicle pushed into the presidential palace, which sits on the square, and soldiers rushing in.
“The three chiefs of the armed forces have come to express our dismay. There will be a new cabinet of ministers, surely things will change, but our country cannot continue like this any longer,” General Juan Jose Zuniga told a local TV station.
Zuniga addressed reporters in the square prior to the assault on the national palace.
“Stop destroying, stop impoverishing our country, stop humiliating our army,” he said in full uniform, flanked by soldiers, insisting the action being taken was supported by the public.
Kenya President, William Ruto has returned the 2024 Finance Bill to the National Assembly for reconsideration. This was revealed in a letter signed by President Ruto and made availble on the President social media handles on Wednesday evening, day after several protesters were shot dead when they ran into the Parliament building in attempt to ... 
Money-Na-Water Celebrity barman, Pascal Okechukwu aka Cubana Chief who displayed wads of dollars on Tuesday at a carnival like wedding ceremony of Davido and Chioma tagged Chivido; has been set free by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos State after he agreed with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to pay the sum ... 
Kenya Medical Association has confirmed that more people are still being treated with serious gunshot injuries with 13 of them already pronounced dead. Simon Kigondu, president of the Kenya Medical Association, said that the figure of 13 deaths was “not the final number”. Recent video on Wednesday showed moment some of the protesters were being ... 
Not less than 19 persons have been confirmed dead when gunmen on Sunday engaged security operatives in a street gun battle after the gunmen attacked a church and a police post at Makhachkala and Derbent cities of Northern Caucasus region of Dagestan province in Russia. Reports also indicated that Russian military personnel later surrounded the gunmen ... 
About 16 persons have been reportedly found dead when lithium batteries at a warehouse in South Korea exploded on Monday morning. Some residents said similar incident had occurred the previous day Sunday with a massive fire at a battery recycling warehouse in Paisley Glasgow and some of the people claimed the fire outbreak at Paisley ... 
Men of the Nigeria anti-illicit-drugs police, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA have arrested two suspected persons in Edo State when the police operatives invaded the illicit-drugs shrine guarded by a big black snake at Egor Community in Egor Local Government Area in Benin Metropolis. NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi in a news statement on Sunday, ... 
Shortly after receiving new set of military helicopters, men of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, AFN has rescued children and women kidnapped by Boko Haram terrorists in Borno State. The Nigerian Army authority in a statement on Friday, said, “in a series of coordinated counter-terrorism operations, troops deployed in the North East, in collaboration with ... 
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Israeli-Palestinian Affairs, Andrew Miller has resigned from President Joe Biden administration becoming almost 10 top US officials to have resigned since the Israeli war in Gaza city of Palestine began. Andrew Miller is reported to be a nonresident scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He previously worked at ... 
Political crisis between the Nigeria Minister of FCT who is also the former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara may have resorted to street fighting and killings in the South South state shortly after the governor dissolved and put an end to the tenure of the local government chairmen in the ... 
Detained Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has called on all secessionist armed group operating either as Unknown Gunmen, Biafra Liberation Army or Biafra National Guard to stop killing soldiers in the Southeastern states of Nigeria, adding that, the killing of soldiers is producing young widows whom he learnt some ... 
Benin Monarch, Omo N’oba N’edo Uku Akpolokpolo Oba Ewuare II has clarified and maintained the neutrality of the Palace of the Benin Kingdom in the forth coming governorship election in Edo State, saying, he’s not aware that any son of the Oba current or of blessed memory who do refer to themselves as son of ... 
Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki has said that the Bini traditional youths leaders known as Okaigheles and secret cult members in Edo state are building up arms in the Edo South Senatorial district. The governor disclosed this when he received the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Obinna Onubogu, who was ... 
Nigerian Army has said that the tension that was observed among residents in the Umuejegwo quarters at Umuaku village in Umunneochi local government area of Abia State on Thursday was as a result of gun battle that ensued between troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and Unknown Gunmen, the military authority described as members ... 
