The Bolivian judiciary has ordered the three alleged leaders of the failed coup to be placed in pretrial detention for six months, the public prosecutor’s office announced Friday.
The former commander of the army, Juan Jose Zúñiga, the former commander of the naval forces, Juan Arnaiz, and the former commander of the army’s mechanized brigade, Alejandro Irahola, will be imprisoned in a high-security prison located on the outskirts of the city of El Alto, near La Paz.
“This pretrial detention ordered by the judge will undoubtedly set a precedent and a good signal for the continuation of the investigation,” said Attorney General Cesar Celis.
The three leaders, who are suspected of wanting to overthrow President Luis Arce on Wednesday, are charged with armed uprising and terrorism and face up to 20 years in prison.
In total, 21 active and retired military personnel and civilians were arrested as part of the coup attempt, during which forces equipped with tanks surrounded the presidential palace for several hours before withdrawing.
“The armed forces are trying to restructure democracy, to make it a real democracy. Not the democracy of some masters who have been running the country for 30 or 40 years,” said General Zuniga, surrounded by soldiers and eight tanks.
President Arce quickly dismissed the army chief and appointed a new military command, which was sworn in before him at the presidential palace.
Among the 21 detainees is former Air Force Commander Marcelo Zegarra, who is expected to appear in court in the coming hours.
With this failed coup, Bolivia enters a new period of political turmoil against the backdrop of a severe economic crisis.
As the presidential elections scheduled for 2025 approach, there is concern within the military establishment against the backdrop of popular discontent with high prices and oil shortages in a country whose gas and lithium resources are an attractive factor on the international scene.