Two dead, 14 missing after Bolivia army base blasts

Two soldiers were killed and 14 others went missing after two explosions at a military base in Bolivia, according to Colonel Antonio Amaru, the base commander. The blasts occurred on Friday at the Viacha facility, where explosives are stored, and were located 30 kilometers southwest of La Paz. The town of Viacha, with a population of around 114,000, was left in ruins, with debris scattered across streets and shattered windows in nearby buildings.

The identity of the deceased, who were a sergeant and 13 conscripts aged 18 and 19, was confirmed by the Ministry of Defense. The cause of the blasts is under investigation, and search and rescue efforts are ongoing. Residents, many of them indigenous Aymara people, gathered at the base, demanding information about their missing relatives.

President Rodrigo Paz expressed deep solidarity with the families affected and ordered a thorough and transparent investigation into the incident. Authorities declared three days of mourning, and the town's public prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into manslaughter and other crimes.