The president of Bolivia, Rodrigo Paz, proclaimed this Monday a national mourning after the explosions recorded last Friday in a military barracks in Viacha, in the department of La Paz. The disaster has left eight deceased so far, all of them military personnel, in addition to six missing persons and more than 80 injured, although more than half have already been discharged from medical care.
"We are announcing a national mourning, which beyond the mourning itself is not to forget that we are a family among all. Although there are differences and different thoughts, we are a Bolivian family that has to move forward with all the difficulties that exist, with all the complicated and difficult moments that have been left to us," he declared from Viacha.
The head of state indicated that the flag will fly at half-mast, but that the authorities will maintain their institutional agenda. He emphasized that "it is not a matter today of looking for culprits but of resolving the pain or helping the families, acting quickly with those who have been affected," in a statement to the press after maintaining "direct" contact with relatives of the victims. "Cases like this cannot be politicized," he concluded.
Identification of the victims and balance of the injured
The rescue teams returned this Monday to the area of the detonations, where they located an eighth corpse, which was subsequently transferred to the morgue for identification. The Ministry of Defense has stated in a statement that it could be the military Alex Ignacio Mamani.
With this finding, there are now eight fatalities, including a sergeant and six other soldiers who were performing mandatory military service, while the number of missing persons has been reduced to six.
The explosions caused 84 injuries, of which more than half have already been discharged, as detailed this Monday by the Minister of Health, Marcela Flores. Among the patients still hospitalized is a girl with burns and two people whose condition is considered to be at moderate risk.
Explosions in a gunpowder depot
The incident occurred on Friday, when two explosions were recorded in a warehouse of gunpowder and material intended for pyrotechnic activities within the Bolívar military barracks. The detonations generated a strong shock in the area and particularly affected the families residing near the military facilities.