Bolivian authorities have arrested a Cuban man accused of being part of a criminal gang that allegedly shot and killed three people trying to make a $100,000 purchase this weekend in La Paz, capital -town of a South American country.
Local media identified the subject as Yarinel Martínez Maqueira, better known on the streets as “Yari”, and he was arrested along with three other suspects: Omar and Norman Copaja Chuquimia and Jorge Catalán Osinaga.
The murder would have happened last Saturday in the town of Unduavi, on the road that connects the department of La Paz to Los Yungas. The gang traveled on board a minibus with the victims, and they were tricked by the false promise that they would sell the dollars.
The Minister of Government, Eduardo del Castillo, participated in a press conference in which the details of the case were presented, noting that the victims were identified as Verónica Aguirre, 34 years old ; Domingo Santos Mamani, 33, and José Luis Vargas, 27.
The bodies were found with gunshot wounds. The analyzes revealed that these shots were fired in the back of the head, execution style. The officer also noted that the victims had wounds in the neck area, which were caused by a sharp weapon after their death.
The investigation by the authorities managed to find out that the three deceased left their home around 10:00 pm, in the area of San Agustín, in El Alto, on board a rented vehicle and directed by one of the assassins. After he did not return, his relatives reported him missing the next day.
The police point out that the suspects made sure that their victims stopped on a road before reaching Los Yungas, in a place called “Tres Marías”, where they were killed.
The bodies were found the following Monday, inside a log and clapboard house used as a warehouse by a local farmer.
Omar Copaja was arrested in Uyuni, in the department of Potosí, allegedly while he was trying to leave the country. Copaja was related to one of the victims, who he was sure would do the suspicious business.
For his part, the Cuban was detained in the area of Ciudad Satélite, in El Alto, where the authorities also found the firearm used in the murder. The other two involved were arrested in La Paz and El Alto.
The Minister of the Bolivian Government pointed out that the authorities already have enough evidence to prove that the four people in custody are the authors of the terrible crime.
“We have changed the type of crime, which would no longer be human trafficking, but the crime of murder is being investigated and sentenced,” he said.
The information circulating on social networks indicates that Martínez is originally from Nueva Gerona, in the special town of Isla de la Juventud, and that he obtained permanent residence in Bolivia last year.
