In a message to the country President Luis Arce announced a coup attempt. and called on citizens to speak out and defend democracy.

“Today the country is faced with an attempted coup, today the country is again faced with interests aimed at ensuring that democracy in Bolivia is truncated,” he said.

“We need the Bolivian people to organize and mobilize against the coup d’état in favor of democracy,” he added.

Heavily armed soldiers and armored vehicles According to published videos, they were seen arriving at the central Murillo square in La Paz.

Bolivian coup commander Juan José Zúñiga said he would release “political prisoners”

Already ousted Bolivian army commander-general Juan José Zúñiga, who leads a military group intent on “replacing the government cabinet,” said he would “release all political prisoners,” such as former interim president Jeanine Áñez, and “restore” democracy in the country.

“We will release Áñez (Santa Cruz Governor Luis Fernando) Camacho, prisoners of war,” Zúñiga told the media in front of a government building next to a tank.

Zúñiga told the press that a new cabinet would be formed “soon.”

“Ministers will be changed, our state cannot continue in the same spirit, doing whatever it wants. “We are showing our dissatisfaction,” he said.

“For your armed forces, it is a duty, an obligation to take back this homeland again, stop impoverishing it and humiliating the army,” said Zúñiga, who said that “for now” he recognizes the authority of President Arce.

Zúñiga confirmed that he has the support of the Armed Forces’ high command.

“It cannot be that the loyalty of the commanders is paid for with disloyalty,” he said, clarifying that they are not confronting the people, the Bolivian newspaper reported. Time. (Reuters)