Tarija prosecutor seeks tougher penalties for forest fire starters

Tarija's prosecutor's office is advocating for stricter penalties against individuals responsible for starting forest fires. The push comes after a recent incident where a suspect detained for a fire in Sella Cercado was released under house arrest, and another individual was freed due to a disability.

"We have spoken with other authorities so that the article on arson in the Penal Code can be immediately amended to aggravate the penalty and provide exemplary sanctions," stated departmental prosecutor José Ernesto Mogro. He explained that preventive detention could not be requested in the previous case, leading to the suspect receiving alternative measures during the preliminary hearing. Mogro added that imposing jail time could have risked a charge of prevarication.

Despite these challenges, the Tarija Departmental Prosecutor's Office is investigating eight criminal complaints related to recent fires in both urban and rural areas. Meanwhile, Senator Marcela Guerrero announced that she had anticipated the prosecutor's request by presenting a bill to toughen penalties for arsonists.

"We are incorporating new offenses into this bill to protect the legal asset of natural heritage and ecosystems. In a forest fire, the aggravated penalty is up to 30 years in prison for anyone who damages our water sources, ecosystems, and wildlife habitats," Guerrero stated. She justified the need for harsher sanctions to prevent forest fires, not only in Tarija's Central Valley but across the country, noting that such incidents have become more frequent.