Cancillería de Bolivia pidió información a Rusia sobre bolivianos reclutados para combatir contra Ucrania

Investigation into Alleged Recruitment Networks

The Bolivian Public Ministry has opened an official investigation following public complaints from the families of two men, José María Soleto, 29, and Iván Valdivia, 28. The men, who were cousins, allegedly traveled to Russia in April. According to reports, the men left for the conflict calladitos, sin decir nada a la familia, as described by Tania Valdivia, the mother of Iván. The families were reportedly lured by promises of receiving payments for 16,000 dollars.

Fiscal General of the State, Roger Mariaca, confirmed that the specialized Fiscalía Especializada en Trata y Tráfico de Personas is now handling the case to verify reports of “personas que han sido llevadas con mentiras a Rusia y otros países de Europa.” “Hay una investigación del Ministerio Público. Tenemos la facultad de poder investigar de oficio,” Mariaca stated. Authorities are currently working to identify the intermediaries who allegedly used job and economic offers to contact potential recruits.

Diplomatic Correspondence and Official Denials

Bolivia’s Vice Minister of Consular Management, Héctor Huanca, stated that the government has activated consular assistance protocols to verify the status of the missing men after receiving requests from their families. During an interview on the channel Unitel, Huanca noted, “Hemos activado de manera inmediata nuestros protocolos de protección y asistencia consular e iniciado las consultas correspondientes a través de la Embajada.” According to Huanca, officials estimate that at least 16 Bolivian citizens may be involved in the recruitment scheme.

The Russian Embassy in Bolivia has rejected these claims, asserting that it lacks any connection to the recruitment of Bolivian citizens for the operación militar especial. In a formal statement, the embassy declared: “La embajada de Rusia en Bolivia descarta de manera rotunda cualquier vínculo de esta Misión Diplomática con el supuesto reclutamiento de ciudadanos del Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia para participar en la operación militar especial y rechaza categóricamente las acusaciones formuladas al respecto, por carecer de fundamento alguno.”

The embassy further claimed that, according to official data from the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation as of March 2024, numerous Bolivian citizens had incorporated themselves into the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and that many of them had lost their lives. The diplomatic mission questioned why this participation had not previously elicited comparable attention, stating: “En este contexto, cabe preguntarse por qué, a lo largo de todos estos años, la participación de ciudadanos bolivianos en las hostilidades desatadas por el régimen de Zelensky no ha suscitado interrogantes ni una atención comparable.”

Families Seek Answers Amid Conflicting Reports

For the families of Soleto and Valdivia, the situation remains desperate. Relatives held a symbolic wake this Tuesday in Santa Cruz, the most populous city in the country, after being informed of the men’s alleged deaths. Paola Bazán, the wife of José María Soleto, explained that she was in daily contact with him, with their last communication occurring on June 3.

The wife of one of the citizens reported receiving a phone call from a man who identified himself as the second-in-command of the unit where her husband was stationed. The caller alleged the man died following the impact of a drone. According to the caller, the recovery of bodies in that area is “extremadamente difícil” due to the intensity of combat and the high number of casualties. The caller further claimed that the unit consisted of 16 people of various nationalities, stating that only a few survived the operations. Regarding the possibility of repatriation, the caller informed the family that deceased soldiers usually remain where they fall and can often only be recovered after the conflict concludes. During the conversation, the caller recalled that the Bolivian citizen spoke frequently of his family and his plans to marry upon his return.

The recruitment allegations coincide with a period of economic transition in Bolivia. On June 29, a new monetary policy was implemented, moving away from a 15-year fixed exchange rate to a system based on supply and demand. By early July, the dollar price had risen nearly 10%, reaching 10.70 bolivianos compared to the previous 9.73 bolivianos set by the Banco Central de Bolivia (BCB). Amidst these developments, President Rodrigo Paz, speaking at a religious event in El Alto, stated, El dólar se está estabilizando, while emphasizing the need to work to address the state of the country.

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