21 people have been arrested following Wednesday's coup attempt in Bolivia.
Relatives claim that the arrested were deceived into participating in what they believed was a military exercise. Meanwhile, protests against the coup continue.
Relatives of the arrested gathered on Friday inside and outside the prison, visibly confused and worried. Many families claim that their loved ones are innocent, as they only followed orders and were told it was a military exercise.
Due to the allegations, Bolivian President Luis Arce said in an interview that it is not the government's problem, but a problem for those involved.
Demonstrations
Hundreds gathered outside several government buildings on Friday, carrying signs with the text: "Zuñiga, traitor, coup leader, respect the state".
On the same day, the alleged coup leader and military chief Juan José Zúñiga, along with two other arrested individuals, was sent to a high-security prison awaiting trial.
Just before his arrest, Zúñiga allegedly claimed that he acted on the president's orders to gain popularity. The president denies the allegations.
Arce has instead stated that the former general planned to take over the government and become president himself after the coup. He also said that the government is investigating whether the opposition is behind the coup attempt.
Intensive Protests
It was on Wednesday that soldiers and military vehicles rammed the doors of Bolivia's government palace in what is described as a failed coup attempt. Just three hours later, the coup was over.
Over the past few months, Bolivia, with a population of twelve million, has experienced increasingly intense protests against the country's economic development.
The political struggle within the ruling party has also intensified.
