El Salvadoran authorities say they foiled a plot to plant bombs across the country a day before tomorrow's inauguration of President Naib Bukele, the Associated Press reported, quoted by BTA.
The National Police said the plan involved “veterans” from the civil war in the country (1980-1992), and according to the AP, they mean the left-wing partisan movements.
The police posted on their social media profiles photos of small cylinders with explosives and fuses, as well as sacks of ammonium nitrate. She said the explosives were seized during operations and that gas stations, supermarkets and government buildings were suspected targets of the attack.
The police accused the so-called conspiracy The Salvadoran rebel brigade, and former congressman Jose Santos Melara from the left-wing National Liberation Front party “Farabundo Marti” (FMLN) – formed by former partisans - was detained on charges of financing the operation. Seven other people were detained as part of the investigation.
The FMLN-related organization “Bloc for Popular Resistance and Rebellion“ issued a statement saying Melara's arrest was “arbitrary and an act of political persecution”. The group demanded his release and said it does not recognize the “unconstitutional and illegitimate president who will take office on June 1”.
In February, Bukele easily won a second term in presidential elections, despite the country's constitution prohibiting re-election.
He has drawn criticism for his strong crackdown on gangs and mass arrests. Although he was accused of ill-treatment and unjust imprisonment, Bukele's measures made him popular with the people.