REPORTS CONFLICT ON DETAILS OF FALLEN OBJECT

This document is a compilation of press reports dated May 17, 1978, concerning political developments in Bolivia and reports of an unidentified object falling in Bolivian territory. The first section details political tensions surrounding the upcoming elections, noting that President Banzer, who had been in power for seven years, expressed a desire to hand over the government to the official candidate, Gen. Juan Pereda Asbun. The second section, titled 'REPORTS CONFLICT ON DETAILS OF FALLEN OBJECT,' summarizes radio reports from Sucre and Montevideo. These reports state that an unidentified object fell in Bolivian territory near the Argentine border. Argentine and Uruguayan radio stations reported that Bolivian authorities requested assistance from the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to identify the object. A La Paz newspaper reported that authorities had cordoned off an area of 200 kilometers around the impact site. The object was described as a mechanical device with a diameter of nearly 14 meters, which had been transported to Tarija. The report concludes by noting public speculation regarding whether the object was a satellite or a false alarm. The final section briefly mentions a declaration by the Bolivian Socialist Falange regarding the National Electoral Court.