Former Military Chief Zúñiga Released to House Arrest

Former military chief Juan José Zúñiga was released from San Pedro prison late Friday evening, approximately at 8:00 PM, and placed under house arrest at his residence in the southern zone of La Paz. The departure from the penitentiary occurred amidst a somewhat confusing operation by prison authorities.

Zúñiga's lawyer, Eduardo León, had previously stated that all necessary legal demands had been fulfilled, with only a final custodian remaining before the ex-commander's release. Upon exiting the prison, Zúñiga declared, "It was two years of unjust confinement," before boarding a vehicle that transported him to his home.

The Sixth Sentencing Court ordered Zúñiga's transfer to his designated house arrest location. This order was executed on Friday, even outside of standard working hours, catching many media outlets by surprise. Police had organized a security cordon on Cañada Strongest street, seemingly to facilitate his exit through a side door, but he was unexpectedly brought out through the front entrance.

Zúñiga is now required to comply with the terms of his house arrest and attend all scheduled hearings for the ongoing trial against him. The swiftness of his release and departure, occurring after work hours, added an element of unexpectedness to the proceedings.

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It was two years of unjust confinement.