Coup attempt in Bolivia – “We were tricked into participating”

21 people were arrested after Wednesday's coup attempt in Bolivia.

Relatives claim the detainees were tricked into taking part in what they believed was a military exercise. Meanwhile, protests against the coup continue.

On Friday, relatives of the detainees gathered inside and outside the detention center, looking confused and worried. Many families claim their loved ones are innocent because they only followed orders and were told it was military training.

Regarding these allegations, Bolivian President Luis Arce said in an interview that this is not the government's problem but the problem of those involved.

Demonstrations

Outside several government buildings, hundreds gathered to demonstrate on Friday. They brought banners that read: “Zuniega, traitor, coup leader, respect the state.”

On the same day, the designated coup leader and military commander Juan José Zúñiga, along with two other detainees, were sent to a maximum security prison to await trial.

Shortly before his arrest, Zuniga allegedly claimed that he was acting on behalf of the president in order to gain popularity. The president rejects this information.

Instead, Arce said the former general now plans to take over the government and become president himself after the coup. He also said the government is investigating whether the opposition was behind the coup attempt.

Severe protests

Soldiers and military vehicles stormed the doors of Bolivia's government palace on Wednesday in what was described as a failed coup attempt. After only three hours, the coup was over.

In recent months, Bolivia, with a population of twelve million, has witnessed increasingly intense protests against the country's economic development.

The political battle within the ruling party also intensified.