Explosions at Bolivian Army Barracks Leave Multiple Dead and Dozens Injured

Explosions at an army barracks in the Bolivian city of Viacha on Friday resulted in at least two confirmed deaths and dozens of injuries. The incident occurred at the Centro General de Mantenimiento del Regimiento de Artillería y Mantenimiento (RAM-2) Bolívar, located in the center of the town southwest of La Paz. While two sources report at least two deaths, one center-right source reports that at least ten people died.

Authorities stated that the detonations originated in an area used for storing pyrotechnic material. Defence Minister Ernesto Justiniano described two successive blasts: an initial detonation involving black powder followed by a second blast of much greater magnitude. The defence ministry clarified that no military weapons were detonated. Reports on the number of injured vary, with figures ranging from 58 to 81 people wounded. Some reports specify that a majority of the injured were civilians.

President Rodrigo Paz expressed his deep solidarity with the victims and ordered a thorough, technical, and transparent investigation to determine the causes and verify if safety protocols were followed. Local authorities declared three days of mourning. The blasts caused significant damage to nearby houses, including shattered windows and broken ceilings, and led to power outages in approximately twenty neighborhoods. Emergency teams and security forces cordoned off the area to search for seven people who remain missing.