Tensions between South American neighbors Chile and Bolivia may have just risen to an all-time high. Chilean media is reporting that three armed Bolivian soldiers crossed the Bolivian-Chilean border into Chile and may have fired shots in the small town of Colchane. The three soldiers were then arrested and transported to Iquique, Chile.
According to Chilean newspaper La Tercera, the arrest of the three armed Bolivian soldiers was confirmed by the Chilean Minister of the Interior Andrés Chadwick. Speaking in Santiago, Chadwick said that the soldiers had "walked some kilometers, trespassing the border. We have no details about what mission they were completing, but witnesses claim that they heard shots fired."
Chadwick later said, "The three Bolivian soldiers that were arrested in our border belong to the Bolivian regiment of santinadores. They were found carrying military weapons and we cannot disregard that there may have been shots fired, because we have confirmation from some witnesses that they heard shots fired. Corresponding expert work [to confirm the fired shots] has been ordered."
La Tercera reported that Chilean police may have also fired shots.
The incident occurred just a day before Bolivian President Evo Morales is scheduled to travel to Santiago to participate in the summit for CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) and the EU (European Union), Yahoo! Noticias Colombia reported. Morales has already stated that he is planning to bring up the ongoing issue between the two nations regarding Bolivia's claim of access to the sea.
Friday's arrest is the not the first time Chilean authorities have arrested armed Bolivian soldiers on the border. In June 2012, a similar incident occurred when 14 Bolivian soldiers were arrested on Chilean territory while completing an anti-smuggling mission, La Tercera reported. Chilean authorities returned the soldiers to Bolivia after the government in La Paz complained that their soldiers were mistreated.
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