Who is Juan Jose Zuniga, the Bolivian general arrested after an attempted military coup? – First post

On Wednesday (June 26), Bolivian President Luis Arce faced down an attempted coup that saw heavily armed troops fill La Paz’s main square and an armored vehicle storm into the government palace before retreating.

Bolivian authorities arrested rebel commander General Juan Jose Zuniga i Reuters announced that the prosecutor’s office is initiating an investigation against him and other participants for an attempted coup d’état. Press agency AP He further reported that Arce also ordered the arrest of Navy Vice Admiral Juan Arnez Salvador.

What exactly happened? Who are the main characters of this coup attempt? We’ll take a closer look and get some answers.

What happened during Wednesday’s uprising?

Dramatic events took place in the Bolivian capital on Wednesday afternoon when troops took control of Murillo Square in La Paz, where government buildings are located.

Video footage shows Gen. Juan Jose Zuniga, who was dismissed as commander of the Bolivian army this week, entering the Palacio Quemado and confronting Arce. Zuniga said that “the armed forces are going to restructure democracy to make it a real democracy, not a democracy that has been run by the same few people for 30, 40 years.”

The New York Times reports that he also called for the release of several politicians and soldiers currently in prison. “Enough of rule by the few,” said the general. “Look where this got us! Our children have no future, our people have no future, and the army has the balls to fight for our children’s tomorrow.”

Newspaper Los Tiempos reported that when Zuniga entered the palace and came face to face with Arce, the president instructed the general to hold back his troops: “I am your captain. Follow my orders.”

Shortly thereafter, soldiers and tanks withdrew from the square. The uprising lasted about five hours.

Zuniga was later captured and arrested, and the footage shows Deputy Interior Secretary Jhonny Aguilera telling Zuniga, “General, you are under arrest.”

Meanwhile, Arce, standing on the balcony of the government palace, said: “No one can take away the democracy we won.” He also swore in new military leaders, firing Zuniga.

Just before his arrest by Bolivian authorities, Zuniga claimed that Arce had asked him to organize an attempted coup. Zuniga said: “The president told me that the situation is really broken, this week will be critical, so they need to prepare something that will increase my popularity.”

However, Bolivia’s justice minister denied these claims. Ivan Lima said Zuniga lied and tried to justify his actions and will face justice. Lima also said prosecutors would seek a maximum sentence of 15 to 20 years in prison for Zuniga “for his attack on democracy and the constitution.”

This is not Bolivia’s first encounter with a coup attempt. Since gaining independence in 1825, the country has witnessed over 190 attempted coups and revolutions.

Who is General Juan Jose Zuniga?

Zuniga, who was arrested after the attempted coup, appeared to be leading the rebellion. He was a controversial figure in Bolivian politics and an opponent of former Bolivian president Evo Morales, who still has a significant influence on the country’s political landscape. The current president, Arce, belongs to the same political party as Morales.

In the recent past, Zuniga has been quite vocal in his criticism of Morales, who plans to run for another term as president in 2025. According to El PaísSpanish newspaper, Zuniga declared that Morales “cannot be president of this country again” and that he would not be allowed to “trample on the constitution and oppose the mandate of society.”

He was also accused of embezzlement during his long military career. He was accused of defrauding nearly 2.7 million bolivianos. According to El Debera, Zuniga did not do well academically. However, his cognitive skills and understanding of political dynamics helped him advance in the Bolivian armed forces.

Former President Evo Morales also accused Zuniga of being the commander of Pachajcho’s military organization and allegedly conspiring to eliminate him as part of a “black plan” against coca leaders and political opponents.

Who is the president of Bolivia, Luis Arce?

While Zuniga has been arrested, President Arce will have to investigate whether this coup attempt is a one-off incident. As reported by the BBC, Arce’s government now looks more vulnerable.

Arce, a former economist who is known for keeping a low profile, was once a protégé of Morales and developed the economic plan for his successful presidential campaign in 2005. He was then appointed economy minister in 2006 and is credited with steering the country’s economy for a decade. Arce’s supporters call him the architect of Bolivia’s “miracle” of economic growth in the 2000s, which lifted many people in one of South America’s poorest countries out of poverty. Commodities such as gas, metals and soybeans were booming.

In 2020, he won the presidential elections, restoring political stability to the country. However, as president, he had difficulty managing the U.S. dollar shortage that strained the economy.

With agency input