2024-01-14 01:26:43
Five Bolivian soldiers died when set on fire alive while participating in an operation against a gang of smugglers on the border with Argentina. The crimes shocked Bolivia and the authorities of that country speak of an “ambush.”
Army second lieutenants, Yamil Argani and José María Romero, along with sergeants Braulio Pacaje, Vladimir Pacasi and Ruddy Medoza, lost their lives near Villamontessouth of Bolivia, about 90 kilometers from the border with Argentina.
The cruel episode began with the military chasing a vehicle loaded with illegal chemicals. However, that race to catch the suspects came to an abrupt halt when the van carrying the authorities crashed and overturned off the road, where was trapped in a kind of ditch.
In the midst of the confusion caused by the impact, the attackers took advantage of the opportunity to disarm the militaryspray them with gasoline and set them on fire. Then, with limitless cruelty, they left the scene, leaving behind traces of gasoline bottles.
Upon arriving at the scene, with the fait accompli, investigators analyzed the hypothesis of a traffic accident. However, the Vice Minister of Fight against Smuggling, Daniel Vargas, dismissed that version and denounced it as a heinous crime.
The Minister of Defense, Edmundo Novillo, confirmed that the ambush and murder of the soldiers occurred as a result of a anti-smuggling operationdetailing that the uniformed officers were attacked after seizing illegal merchandise.
In a message on social networks, the former president Evo Morales He expressed himself about what happened. There he conveyed his condolences to the family and asked the authorities to quickly investigate and clarify the incident.
We regret the death of the five uniformed military personnel of the Strategic Command of Anti-Smuggling Operations in Villa Montes, Tarija and we express our condolences to the families of Yamil Argani Espinoza, José María Romero Chambi, Braulio Pacaje Mamani, Ruddy… pic.twitter.com/uqCkOvsjcS
— Evo Morales Ayma (@evoespueblo) January 10, 2024
“It was reported that the possibility that they may have been victims of an attack while participating in intervention activities in the importation of illegal products into the country is being investigated,” he said.
And he continued: “We ask the authorities to quickly investigate and clarify this fact. In a rule of law we cannot accept contemplation and protection some to criminal organizations not only linked to smuggling, but also to drug trafficking.
Between January 1 and December 14 of last year, National Customs seized illegal merchandise valued at 670 million bolivianos (about 96.2 million dollars) in 15,910 control operations carried out throughout the country.
With information from agencies.
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