The Bolivian military said an armed group had taken control of a military installation near the Bolivian city of Cochabamba and detained some soldiers.
The army began an operation on Friday morning to lift a lockdown across the country after weeks of clashes between supporters of former President Evo Morales and police, local media reported.
The military said in a statement that it had seized weapons and ammunition from the group and urged them to leave, warning that such behavior amounted to “treason.”
Local television showed footage of a line of soldiers with their hands behind their backs, surrounded by members of armed groups.
Cochabamba is located in central Bolivia and is home to many supporters of the former president.
Shortly after the group took over the facility, the military announced the evacuation of personnel and their families, local media reported.
Bolivian news agency ANF said a soldier held at the facility said in a message to the command center that the group asked authorities to stop intervening in the blockade..
Morales’ supporters staged 19 days of blockades across the country, demanding an end to the investigation into alleged statutory rape and human trafficking of the former president, which he denies.
Sunday, Morales shared a video His car was shot at in what he called an “assassination attempt” on him.
The Bolivian government has denied Morales’ claims that he ordered targeted attacks against him.
Earlier this year, his supporters clashed several times with followers of his rival, current President Luis Arce. Both intend to run as candidates for the ruling Mas party in the country’s 2025 presidential election.
Morales, who served as president from 2006 to 2019, was declared the winner of the 2019 election, but Resigned after a few weeks It comes after nationwide protests over allegations of election fraud.
