Puno: Soldiers who survived falling into the Ilave River: “People cornered us and threatened us”

After learning that so far four bodies of the soldiers who fell in the Ilave River and were swept away by the currents have been recovered, a group of this troop who survived told some details about what happened last Sunday. March 5 and what motivated them to enter the mighty waters of this tributary.

The video begins with a few questions posed by an officer in charge, saying, “I’m going to ask a few questions and I want you to answer me concisely. I want to know why you entered the river”.

to which the soldier vilca He replies, “The reason we crossed the river is because we had no other way out. They were around 800 to 900 people They surrounded us and started throwing stones at us and then we started crossing the river. It was the only exit we had to protect our lives from officers, troops and non-commissioned officers. When we crossed the river, people insisted on throwing stones at us, the insults started and that’s where we separated our chains and that’s where the current took us.

“What else have the population done against you,” the officer asks again, to which one of the soldiers replies “People insulted us, calling us murderers, corrupt. They laughed at us, they called us dogs, you’re reservists, you’re useless and people came with sticks and everything and they came with leather whips, they threatened us. We were completely cornered and we only had to cross the river”.

It should be mentioned that part of the population of Chucuito in Juli, Puno, saved the life of a group of fallen soldiers in the Ilave River. Seeing that the troops were carried away, they did not hesitate to enter the mighty currents and get the youngsters out now, they were being carried away by the current. In addition, they were known to be receiving shelter and food as reinforcements arrived.

By a declaration of Joint Armed Forces Commandreported that this group of soldiers was going to protect the area of ​​Chucuito in Juli, Puno, because the day before there had been acts of violence such as the destruction of the local police station and the burning of the headquarters of the judiciary.

However, before reaching their destination, they were cornered by protesters.

“He Department of Defense Strongly condemns the hostile attitude exerted against the patrol of which the above-mentioned soldiers were part by violent militants who prevented their passage, for which the personnel were forced to take an alternative route which crossed the river in order to avoid a confrontation with such radical elements,” they wrote in their statement.

So far it is known that the names of deceased corporals, according to the Ministry of Defense, are Franz Canazas Cahuaya, Alex Quispe Serrano, Elvis Pari Quiso and soldier Elías Lupaca Inquillas.