A group of 14 Bolivian military was expelled from Chile on Sunday after being arrested Friday for illegally entering that country with weapons while conducting operations against the smuggling of vehicles.

A court ruled their expulsion and the confiscation of the weapons with which they were arrested.

“The 14 soldiers, a lieutenant, six non-commissioned officers and seven soldiers already in the 21st Infantry Regiment in the department of Oruro (western Bolivia), where “they came by land,” said a source in the La Paz Ministry of Defense, who requested anonymity.

The episode prompted a diplomatic protest by Chile, while Bolivia explained that the soldiers entered the country unintentionally by not heeding a warning at the border.

Furthermore, the government of Evo Morales said they had resolved the incident, and announced he will seek the return of weapons.

The soldiers were arrested early Friday when circulating in the area of ​​the Salar de Coipasa (2,000 km north of Santiago) in two vans with Chilean tags that were allegedly stolen. The Bolivians were initially accused of the theft of the vehicles.

Hardy Torres, the prosecutor said Pozo Almonte, where the 14 soldiers were detained, said that authorities decided on expulsion and the seizure of the weapons carried by the defendants, and not to prosecute them for theft, as there was insufficient evidence.

Bolivian Defense Minister, Cecilia Chacón, said in an interview in La Paz that the military “accidentally raided the territory” of Chile, because she said there is little clarity of the boundary line between the two countries sharing a border 975 km long, and that the two seized vehicles were in Bolivia and were being transferred to Customs.

Bolivia, which has no diplomatic relations with Chile since 1978 because of a maritime dispute, had requested the return of the 14 military personnel and promised a more vigorous fight against smuggling.

The Chilean Foreign Ministry expressed anger over the events in a note of protest to the Bolivian government, and left the matter in the hands of the justice system.

“This type of situation must be resolved with great caution, because it touches on aspects of international politics and also has implications for local politics,” said Interior Minister Rodrigo Hinzpeter in El Mercurio.

Bolivian Deputy Foreign Minister, Juan Carlos Alurralde said the incident “is absolutely resolved and understood in the highest levels” of Chilean diplomacy.

Last week the Bolivian government declared an amnesty for 15 days to register vehicles that do not have legal permits, prompting police to strengthen special exit monitoring of vehicles on its border with Bolivia.

The plan reflects the potential increase in vehicle thefts in northern Chile, between January and May this year, was up 30% compared to same period in 2010, police said.

Source: Americas Forum