An attempted military coup was carried out in Bolivia, organized by General Juan Jose Zuniga, who was arrested , reported Reuters, quoted by BTA.
Hours before the arrest, on the orders of the former commander-in-chief of the Bolivian army, heavily armed soldiers, tanks and armored fighting vehicles attacked the presidential palace in the central square "Murillo" in the Bolivian capital La Paz. Part of the military even broke into the residence of the head of state.
The country's president, Luis Arce, denounced the coup attempt, calling on the Bolivian people to "defend democracy". He appointed José Wilson Sánchez as the new commander-in-chief during the coup attempt.
Earlier today, Arce suspected a military coup due to "unusual mobilization" of some military units in La Paz, and the former president of the South American country, Evo Morales, in turn, accused the commander-in-chief of the local army, General Juan Jose Zuniga, of a conspiracy.
A mass of heavily armed military personnel and armored fighting vehicles were seen in the central square of "Murillo" in La Paz, the agency notes.
"The three chiefs of the armed forces came to express their concern. There will be a new government, surely things will change. Our country cannot continue like this any longer. For now, however, we recognize President Arce as the supreme commander," Zuniga told a local television channel, quoted by Reuters.
Morales, who has publicly distanced himself from former political ally Arce, accused Zuniga of plotting a coup d'état through the armed forces and called for a nationwide strike and blockade of the country's main roads. "We will not allow the army to undermine democracy and intimidate the people," said the former president of Bolivia.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said that "The European Union condemns any attempt to disrupt the constitutional order in Bolivia and to overthrow the democratically elected government".