SALT LAKE CITY — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Tuesday that the president of the church's Bolivia Cochabamba Mission has died of COVID-19.
José Maria Batalla died at a rehabilitation center in Fort Lauderdale after a two-month fight with the coronavirus. Batalla's wife, Sister Valeria Batalla, was with her husband when he passed away this morning.
The Batellas had served as mission leaders in Bolivia since July 2020.
"We express our love and condolences to President Batalla’s family, along with the missionaries he led in the Bolivia Cochabamba Mission. We pray that all will feel the Savior’s love as they honor and remember this faithful leader and his devotion to the Church," the church said in a statement.
Batalla is survived by his wife, two daughters and two sons.
