Who is General Zúñiga, the shadowy officer behind the thwarted coup in Bolivia?
The man behind the attempted coup that has rocked Bolivia remains a mystery to much of the country
LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — The man behind the attempted coup that has rocked Bolivia remains a mystery to much of the country.
Little known before bursting into Bolivia's presidential palace tailed by tanks and armored vehicles , Juan José Zúñiga se rved as commander general of the country's armed forces from 2022 until his dramatic sacking and arrest Wednesday. A career military man, Zúñiga owes his post to the very president whom he sought to oust in his attempted coup.
President Luis Arce promoted Zúñiga to general and then handpicked him as army chief two years ago, vaulting the low-ranking and undistinguished intelligence official who had scored in the bottom mental categories of his entrance tests to the military's highest ranks. The abrupt promotion angered military officials and puzzled analysts, who interpreted Arce's move as a reward for the general's loyalty.
Even as Arce reshuffled other top military positions, most recently in January, Zúñiga remained in place.
