16 killed in contract killings and drug-related violence in Bolivia in just over a month
At least 16 people were murdered in Santa Cruz, Beni and Cochabamba since August 2026. Authorities point to disputes between international criminal groups.
Wave of drug violence rocks three Bolivian departments
According to reduno.com.bo, at least 16 people died in armed attacks recorded in the departments of Santa Cruz, Beni and Cochabamba since August 2026. Preliminary investigations point to disputes between criminal organisations involved in drug trafficking.
Santa Cruz accounts for the largest number of victims, with nine deaths. Beni recorded five deaths and Cochabamba two. The victims were attacked through contract killings and armed ambushes in public roads, homes, restaurants and commercial establishments.
The Government identified as one of the main hypotheses the presence and confrontation of Brazilian organisations—the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho—over the control of routes and operational spaces in Bolivian territory.
Santa Cruz: nine deaths under investigation
The Santa Cruz department has accumulated the largest number of violent incidents in recent weeks. Among the reported cases is the murder of Police Second Lieutenant Yerson Salazar Aliendres, whose body was found in San Matías following an operation linked to the discovery of a clandestine airstrip and weaponry. Several additional attacks against Brazilian and Bolivian citizens are also being investigated in the region.
Beni: five victims in armed attacks
In Guayaramerín, two men were shot dead: Edgar Justiniano, 31 years old, and Denny Pozo V., 35. Later, gunfire during a patron saint celebration in San Ramón left two people dead and one wounded.
The latest Beni case was recorded in Trinidad, where a Brazilian national received several gunshot wounds in the Villa Magdalena neighbourhood.
Cochabamba: two murders in the tropics
In the Cochabamba tropical region, on 13 August a man identified by the initials E.C.C., 44 years old, died after receiving seven bullet impacts inside his vehicle in Villa Tunari. Days later, another man was found dead in Río Blanco, municipality of Entre Ríos, with multiple gunshot wounds in different parts of his body.
Authorities maintain alert in border zones
Given the increase in incidents, national authorities indicated that investigations are being carried out to identify those responsible and determine the structure behind the attacks. Police operations continue, with special attention to border zones and regions considered strategic for drug trafficking to other countries.
Source: Google News BO — Crime