Bolivia begins Monday operating an air bridge to return approximately 405 Peruvian citizens trapped by highway blockades to Juliaca, Peru.
4:33 PM
Bolivia launched an airlift operation Monday to evacuate approximately 405 Peruvian citizens stranded in the country due to ongoing road blockades, according to Bolivia's Foreign Ministry.
The air bridge, which began operations on May 11, aims to transport the trapped Peruvians from the cities of La Paz and Oruro to Juliaca in Peru's Puno region. The Bolivian government deployed Hercules aircraft from the Bolivian Air Force to conduct the assisted transfers.
The evacuation resulted from diplomatic and consular coordination between Peru's and Bolivia's foreign ministries. Peru's Consulate General in La Paz has been managing the operation in conjunction with Peru's Defense Ministry.
Road connections to Bolivia's interior and routes to Peru and Chile have been blocked since Wednesday by rural sectors demanding the resignation of Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz. The blockades have left numerous Peruvians unable to return home.
Peru's Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday that it was analyzing the evacuation of the 405 affected citizens. The ministry's Consulate General in La Paz had been conducting close monitoring of the situation and coordinating with Peru's Defense Ministry for the transfers.
Among those stranded were approximately 200 students from schools in Cusco, Arequipa, and Puno, according to Peru's Foreign Ministry. The Consulate General in La Paz has been providing accommodation and food assistance to those affected by the blockades.
Peru's Foreign Ministry and the Consulate General in La Paz established a 24-hour emergency contact line at +591 70164657 and an email address at consulperu-lapaz@rree.gob.pe to assist citizens requiring help. The ministry stated it remained attentive to the needs of Peruvian citizens affected by the situation in Bolivia.
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