A radio journalist was put on the air live after men burst into the studio and doused him with petrol
- Three men arrested on suspicion of involvement in the attack
- A studio technician was also injured in what may have been a politically motivated incident
A Bolivian radio host was set on fire by four masked men while hosting his show in the southern city of Yacuiba.
Radio Popular journalist Fernando Vidal, 78, is being treated for burns after his attackers broke into the studio, doused him in petrol and set it alight.
Studio technician Karen Anza was also injured in the attack, which some eyewitnesses claim involved Molotov cocktails.
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Ranchers: Two farmers in Yacuiba, southern Bolivia, site of the shocking attack
His son-in-law Esteban Farfan said Mr Vidal suffered burns to his face, arms and chest.
Three people have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the attack, the BBC reports.
According to relatives, Mr Vidal was reporting on smuggling in the border area when the attack took place – Yacuiba is less than two miles from Argentina.
Mr Vidal and other journalists had recently criticized a rise in smuggling, particularly in relation to LPG.
Smuggling problem: Yacuiba is only two miles from the border with Argentina
Mr Farfan believes the attack was politically motivated, although police have not commented.
He said Mr Vidal spoke out against the provincial government live on air.
Bolivia’s interior ministry told AFP it would conduct an “accelerated and rigorous investigation.”
This isn’t the first time a Bolivian radio station has come under fire in recent months.
In June, three dynamite attacks were carried out on local stations, Radio Emisora Bolivia, Radio Vanguardia and Radio Cumbre.
Video: Burned journalist speaks after admission to the hospital
Not the first time: The attack in Yacuiba was followed by three attacks on other radio stations in Bolivia in June
