Bolivia

LA PAZ, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- Six people are dead and two minors are missing after heavy rains this week sparked flooding in the Bolivian town of Tipuani in the department of La Paz, authorities said Wednesday.

Flooding has led to the death of an elderly person who was unable to leave his home and a traffic accident in which "the vehicle ran aground and as a result one person died," Major Victor Ramirez, operational chief of police, told state-run television station Bolivia TV.

A public service vehicle fell into the river on Tuesday, leaving four dead, he added.

LA PAZ, Jan 4 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Bolivian health authorities reported a 128% surge in cases of Covid-19 nationwide in addition to the detection of the JN.1 variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus -also known as Pirola- in the department of Santa Cruz.

“We have had an increase in the number of cases, we have had a total of 1,933 in the 52nd epidemiological week [of 2023]. If we compare with epidemiological week 51, we have had 1,086 cases more than the previous week, implying a 128% increase,” explained Health Minister María Renée Castro.

LA PAZ, Jan 5 (NNN-PRENSA LATINA) – Four people were killed, after their car crashed into a wall and burst into flames, near a lithium carbonate plant in Uyuni Salt Flats, in the Bolivian department of Potosi, said local authorities yesterday.

“The vehicle was likely travelling at excessive speed” when the driver lost control, collided with the wall, and came to a stop approximately 70 metres from the point of impact, Juan Carlos Oblitas, the deputy commander of Potosi Police, briefed reporters on the accident that occurred early Wednesday.

EL ALTO, Bolivia (AP) — When they first started climbing the Andes peaks, they could hear the ice crunching under their crampons. These days, it’s the sound of melted water running beneath their feet that they mostly listen to as they make their ascents.

LA PAZ, Nov 26 (NNN-TELESUR) — France on Friday dispatched a team of specialists in wildfire combat to the Santa Cruz department, one of the areas most affected by the fires in the Bolivian Amazon.

Forty firefighters and rescue professionals will join local efforts, the French Foreign Affairs Ministry said, adding that the French team will operate in two protected areas.

French President Emmanuel Macron responded to the request for assistance from Bolivian authorities. On Thursday, Bolivia received a donation of 53 firefighter helmets through the French cooperation.

LA PAZ, Nov 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Bolivia is struggling to cope with forest fires, which have burned about 3 million hectares of forest land and killed more than 10 people since the beginning of the year.

Forest fires breaking out in Bolivia have caused many schools to temporarily close, while many flights were canceled due to smoke rising from the fires. From crops, vegetation, coffee plantations or banana plantations… all were severely damaged by the fires. 

LA PAZ, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- At least five people were killed and around a dozen injured Friday in a head-on collision between a passenger bus and a trailer truck in the eastern Bolivian department of Santa Cruz, local police said.

The accident occurred when one vehicle strayed into the opposite lane where a passenger bus was traveling from the town of Puerto Suarez to the department's capital city, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, commander of the Robore Police, Major Pedro Silva, told reporters.

31 October 2023; MEMO: Bolivia’s government is breaking diplomatic ties with Israel, the Bolivian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday, accusing Israel of committing crimes against humanity in its attacks on the Gaza Strip, Reuters reports.

Bolivia, in 2009, cut diplomatic ties with Israel in protest of its attacks on the Gaza Strip.

In 2020, the government of President Jeanine Anez re-established ties.

LA PAZ, Sept 25 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Citing a “dirty” campaign against him, former Bolivian President Evo Morales announced during the weekend that he would run again in the 2025 elections.

His Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS) party, the same as current head of state Luis Arce Catacora claims Morales is the “king of cocaine” while the opposition regards him as a “drug trafficker,” according to local media.

Evo Morales assured that he was “forced” to make this decision for which he will “fight”, amid the division within the ruling party, the Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS).

LA PAZ, Aug 8 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Bolivian authorities have reported that the state-run oil company Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales Bolivianos (YPFB) had discovered a new gas field in the Okinawa area after recent studies in the Remanso-X1 (RMS-X1) well.

The new reservoir will generate approximately US$ 5 billion in gas, it was explained. It will also contribute to savings in fuel purchases of US$1 billion, according to YPFB.