Latter-day Saint missionaries evacuate from Bolivia Cochabamba Mission

Due to civil unrest in Bolivia, 63 missionaries of the Church serving in the Bolivia Cochabamba Mission are being evacuated and are being assigned to other missions.

According to Church spokesman Daniel Woodruff, other missionaries in Bolivia will remain in the country and continue with missionary work where they may do so safely.

See the statement below:

“The Church is in the process of transferring 63 missionaries from the Bolivia Cochabamba Mission. This is due to growing political unrest as well as the U.S. government’s recent decision to pull non-emergency workers from that country. The missionaries — who are all from North America — are being temporarily reassigned to other missions. A few who are nearing the end of their missions will return home. At this point, in coordination with security professionals, all other missionaries throughout Bolivia are remaining where they are and will continue with limited missionary work in those areas where it is safe to do so. The safety of our missionaries is our highest priority, and we will continue to carefully monitor developments in Bolivia and make further adjustments and decisions as circumstances require. We pray for the people in Bolivia as they navigate this difficult time in their country.”

As of Nov. 12, Elder Enrique R. Falabella, a General Authority Seventy, who presides over the South America Northwest Area, reported that mission presidents and Area Seventies had been exchanging updated information regarding the situation via a group chat.