Armed group in Bolivia takes over military post in latest flare-up

The takeover is latest section successful standoff betwixt the Arce authorities and supporters of ex-president Evo Morales.

An equipped radical successful Bolivia has taken implicit a subject station extracurricular the metropolis of Cochabamba portion holding immoderate soldiers captive, the equipped forces said successful a statement, ramping up tensions successful the already restive Andean nation.

Cochabamba, located successful cardinal Bolivia, is location to galore supporters of erstwhile President Evo Morales.

Friday’s standoff implicit the subject post, located astir 100 miles (160 km) eastbound of Cochabamba, marks the latest escalation successful Bolivia’s progressively volatile and often convulsive politics.

The military’s connection described the equipped radical arsenic “irregular”, noting it had besides taken power of firearms and ammunition, and stressed that specified actions amounted to treason.

Authorities impulse radical to disperse ‘immediately and peacefully’

It urged those liable for the takeover to “immediately and peacefully” wantonness the facility.

“The lives of my instructors and soldiers are successful danger,” warned an unnamed subject authoritative successful a signaling broadcast connected section media.

Televised images showed a enactment of uniformed soldiers with their hands down their backs, perchance tied, surrounded by members of the equipped group.

Earlier connected Friday, immoderate soldiers stationed successful the country arsenic good arsenic their families fled their homes, arsenic constabulary stations unopen down to forestall further confrontations.

After constabulary and subject units sought to region a cardinal road blockade that connects Cochabamba with the metropolis of Oruro, immoderate protesters retaliated by launching dynamite astatine them from adjacent hills. Police past hurled teardrop state canisters astatine them.

The seizure of the subject outpost is seen arsenic a effect to efforts earlier this week by information forces nether the power of President Luis Arce to dislodge road blockades organised by supporters of Morales since mid-October.

The 2 leftist leaders, some with roots successful Bolivia’s ruling socialist party, person gone from adjacent allies to bitter rivals successful caller months arsenic they jockey for presumption up of adjacent year’s statesmanlike election.

In an code to the federation connected Wednesday, Arce called for an extremity to the blockades, estimating that the disruptions to cardinal transport routes person already outgo the impoverished South American country’s system implicit $1.7bn.