Bolivia’s army chief was arrested on Wednesday after sending soldiers and tanks to take up position in front of government buildings in what President Luis Arce called an attempted coup.

The troops and tanks entered Plaza Murillo, a historic square where the presidency and Congress are situated, in the afternoon, prompting global condemnation of an attack on democracy.

One of the tanks tried to break down a metal door of the presidential palace.

Surrounded by soldiers and eight tanks, the now-dismissed army chief General Juan Jose Zuniga said the “armed forces intend to restructure democracy, to make it a true democracy and not one run by the same few people for 30, 40 years”.

Later Wednesday, Zuniga was captured and forced into a police car as he addressed reporters outside a military barracks, footage on state television showed.

“General, you are under arrest,” Deputy Interior Minister Jhonny Aguilera told Zuniga.

“No one can take away the democracy we have won,” Arce said from a balcony of the government palace in front of hundreds of supporters.

Earlier he had urged “the Bolivian people to organise and mobilise against the coup d’etat in favour of democracy”, in a televised message to the country alongside his ministers inside the presidential palace.

He also swore in new military leaders, firing Zuniga.

Right before he was arrested, Zuniga told reporters that it was actually the president who told him to stage an uprising, thus triggering a crackdown that would make him look strong and boost his sagging approval rating.

At a meeting Sunday, the general said, Zuniga asked Arce “So we bring out armored vehicles?” He said the president answered, “Bring them out.”

Arce’s instructions were to “stage something to raise his popularity”, the general said.

Former president Evo Morales wrote on X that “a coup d’etat is brewing” and also urged a “national mobilisation to defend democracy”.