Bolivia arrests four more military officials in connection with failed coup
CNN
The arrests come as a Bolivian court orders the former army chief Gen. Juan Jose Zúñiga into pretrial detention.
Bolivia has arrested four more military officials in connection with a failed attempt to unseat the country’s president in a coup allegedly led by its former army chief. The latest people to be apprehended were the former commanding general of the air force, a sergeant accused of ramming a military vehicle into the government palace, another sergeant accused of driving a separate vehicle carrying military leaders, and an infantry captain accused of coordinating the movement of troops, according to Government Minister Eduardo del Castillo. The news brings the total number of arrests to 21. Wednesday’s coup attempt prompted shock around the world, with images out of the capital La Paz showing military personnel occupying a square, armored vehicles ramming the palace door and soldiers trying to break into government offices. A report sent to CNN by the Bolivian government said military officials first held meetings in May to plot the coup attempt. The meetings were led by former army chief Gen. Juan Jose Zúñiga and former navy commander Gen. Juan Arnez, with Zúñiga’s civilian personal adviser allegedly devising the “strategy” of the coup, the report claims.
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