On Friday, Marcelo Javier Zegarra, the former commander of the Bolivian Air Force, was arrested for his alleged involvement in the coup attempt in Bolivia. President Luis Arce had earlier praised him for not giving in to the attempt, but he was later apprehended along with General Juan José Zúñiga. This brings the total number of arrests in connection with the coup attempt to 21.
During a press conference Thursday night, President Arce recounted a tense moment with General Zúñiga and Zegarra, where he rebuked them for their actions. Despite this, he later thanked Zegarra for his reflection on the situation. Zegarra had voluntarily submitted himself for questioning and was arrested after providing his statement.
The Bolivian government has also arrested the former heads of the Army and Navy, as well as other military personnel accused of participating in the coup attempt. The government reported that key figures involved in the attempt had communicated using a cellphone application, FaceTime.
In addition to military personnel, civilians involved in the coup attempt have also been arrested, including Aníbal Aguilar Gómez, described as the “ideologist” of the failed coup. Seven others have also been detained in connection with the events.
The government has confirmed ongoing investigations and arrests related to the coup attempt, targeting both military and civilian individuals. The Public Prosecutor’s Office is seeking additional suspects, including retired soldiers allegedly involved in the plot. As a journalist writing about this event it is important to note that these are mere allegations at this point and all individuals should be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to law.