Bolivia's sacked military chief arrested after failed coup

President Arce slams actions against govt, calls for calm and order to be restored

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LA PAZ Bolivian armed forces pulled back from the presidential palace in La Paz on the evening of June 26 and a general was arrested after President Luis Arce slammed a "coup" attempt against the government and called for international support.

Earlier in the day, military units led by General Juan Jose Zuniga, recently stripped of his military command, gathered in the central Plaza Murillo square, home to the presidential palace and Congress. A Reuters witness saw an armoured vehicle ram a door of the presidential palace and soldiers rush in.

"Today the country is facing an attempted coup d'etat. Today the country faces once again interests so that democracy in Bolivia is cut short," Mr Arce said in comments from the presidential palace, with armed soldiers outside.

"The Bolivian people are summoned today. We need the Bolivian people to organise and mobilise against the coup d'etat in favour of democracy."

A few hours later, a Reuters witness saw soldiers withdrawing from the square and police taking control of the plaza. Bolivian authorities arrested Mr Zuniga and took him away, though their destiation was unclear.

Inside the presidential palace, Mr Arce swore in Mr Jose Wilson Sanchez as the military commander, Mr Zuniga's former role. He called for calm and order to be restored.