Burned vehicle found in San Matías, presumed to belong to hitmen

A burned-out vehicle found in San Matías, Bolivia, is believed to have been used by the assailants who killed a police officer and injured two others in an ambush the previous day. The vehicle was discovered by residents near Ascención de la Frontera, approximately 130 kilometers from San Matías.

Sub-lieutenant Yerson Salazar Aliendres of the Special Police Investigation Center (CEIP) was killed on Thursday while en route to Ascensión de la Frontera to investigate a prior massacre at the Campo Nuevo ranch. His vehicle was intercepted by heavily armed individuals who opened fire. Salazar died at the scene, while his two companions managed to escape with injuries.

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The motor vehicle found burned was found by villagers in the vicinity of Ascención de la Frontera, a community located about 130 kilometers from the urban area of San Matías, where the violent confrontation between police and hitmen took place on Thursday.

Local residents suspect the burned vehicle matches the one used by the attackers. However, police have not officially confirmed this, maintaining secrecy as part of their ongoing investigation. Initial reports suggest the attackers fled after the shootout, then returned to burn the police vehicle and take Salazar's body, which remains missing.

The discovery of the torched vehicle adds a new dimension to the police investigation. Tactical groups and specialized units have been deployed to the border region to locate Salazar's body, track the assailants' escape route, and apprehend those responsible. The violence has created an atmosphere of uncertainty in Ascención de la Frontera, with residents demanding increased and sustained police action against criminal organizations operating along the Bolivia-Brazil border.

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The community of Ascención de la Frontera remains in a climate of uncertainty after the succession of violent events recorded in the last few hours. The inhabitants demand greater police presence and permanent actions to curb the actions of criminal organizations that operate on the border between Bolivia and Brazil.