[REVISION HISTORY]

Viacha military base explosions: legal action against former

Updated 14 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-12 03:21 UTC → 2026-09-30 16:48 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Two powerful explosions occurred at the RAM-2 ‘Bolívar’ Mechanized Artillery Regiment maintenance center in Viacha, Bolivia, near La Paz. The incident reportedly began with a detonation involving black powder from stored pyrotechnic material, followed by a second explosion of significantly greater magnitude. The facility was reportedly storing seized pyrotechnics, grenades, and TNT. The death toll stands at nine people, including one sergeant and eight conscripts, while five individuals remain missing. The number of injuries has reached 84, involving military personnel, police, and civilians. The blasts caused extensive structural damage to the military facility and the local community, with reports indicating that at least 630 homes in the Viacha municipality were affected, leaving some families in temporary shelters. In response, President Rodrigo Paz declared three days of national mourning. The Bolivian Army ordered soldiers from the Bolívar Regiment to remain at their homes and began transferring military material to the Bilbao Regiment for safe custody. Following the incident, the government announced a nationwide review of procedures regarding the reception, storage, custody, and destruction of sensitive materials in military units. Political tensions ~~have~~ escalated following a heated verbal altercation between Vice President Edmand Lara and Lieutenant Colonel Ronald Alvarado Peredo during a site visit. President Paz criticized Lara’s conduct as having a ‘dangerous dictatorial profile’ and being an offense to the military. Legal accountability has intensified as the Bolivian Army filed criminal charges against former Defense Minister Edmundo Novillo for involuntary manslaughter and breach of duty. Army Commander General Héctor Alarcón stated the complaint is supported by a September 2025 report that warned of the ‘real and imminent threat’ posed by decomposing ~~pyrotechnic and explosive materials stored at~~ materials. As of late September 2026, the ~~facility.~~ Army is nearing the conclusion of its investigation into the explosions.

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