El Salvador's Insurrection: Civil War Veterans' Explosive Plot Foiled

El Salvador's national police uncovered a plot by civil war veterans aiming to detonate explosives during President Nayib Bukele's second-term inauguration. The suspects, identified as part of the Salvadoran Insurrection Brigade, targeted gas stations, supermarkets, and public institutions. Bukele's rise to power was marked by a strong anti-crime campaign that faced criticism for curbing civil liberties.

El Salvador's national police shared details on Friday about an alleged plot by veterans of the country's civil war to detonate explosives on Saturday, when President Nayib Bukele is inaugurated for a second term.

KEY QUOTE The suspects "were part of the so-called Salvadoran Insurrection Brigade and their objectives were to detonate (explosives) at gas stations, supermarkets and public institutions," the national police said on social media late on Thursday. The police shared photos of the homemade explosives on Friday.

CONTEXT Bukele won reelection in a landslide victory in February after garnering massive popularity in a crackdown on crime that reduced violence significantly but led to the suspension of some civil liberties and the arrest of more than 75,000 people without charges.