At least 200 soldiers have been arrested by armed supporters of former Bolivian president Evo Morales, the Foreign Ministry said.
On Friday, the Bolivian military reported that an armed group had taken control of a military base near the Bolivian city of Cochabamba.
In a statement, Bolivia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the group “seized weapons and ammunition”, adding that three soldiers were “attacked by illegal groups”.
Images of a convoy of soldiers with their hands behind their backs, surrounded by members of an armed group, were shown on local television.
Cochabamba is in central Bolivia and is home to many supporters of the former president.
After a while the center was taken over by this group, the military announced the evacuation of the workers and their families, local media reported.
One of the soldiers detained at the center said, in a message he sent to his center, that the group wants the authorities to stop disrupting the blockade, said the Bolivian media ANF..
Morales’ supporters have been striking all over the country for 19 days, demanding the end of the investigation against the former president for allegations of rape and human trafficking, which he denies.
On Sunday, Morales share the video of the shooting of his car, in what he called “attempts to kill him”.
The Bolivian government has denied Morales’ allegations that he ordered the attack.
His supporters clashed with supporters of his rival, current President Luis Arce, several times earlier this year. Both men intend to run for Mas’s ruling party in 2025.
Morales, who was president from 2006 to 2019, was declared the winner of the 2019 election but he resigned weeks later after protests across the country caused by allegations of electoral fraud.
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