The Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) are investigating the explosion of two Molotov cocktails against the Ministry of Finance building in downtown San Jose on Thursday and confirmed a note appeared on the site, alluding tot he approval of the plan fiscal or tax reform.
The head of the OIJ, Walter Espinoza, explained Friday morning that the explosion broke one of the windows. No injuries were reported.
“On Thursday, around 11 pm, we received a report related to the activation of an explosive device on the north side of the Ministry of Finance building, as a result of which the specialized evidence collection team moved to the site and confirmed the situation. It was determined that there was a combustion and an explosion that caused the breaking of one of the windows of the building,” explained Espinoza.
Services at the central offices of the Ministerio de Hacienda were affected. That was confirmed by Hacienda’s spokesperson, Leonardo Salas.
“Both in the central building and in all the Hacienda facilities, we are working normally. The case is already in the hands of the OIJ. We call for calm so that irresponsible acts like these do not alter the tranquility of the people,” the official emphasized.
The Minister of Security, Micheal Soto, called the act one of cowardice.
“It is a cowardly act, it has psychopathic features, it has an intimidating intention. (…) The person who wrote it will feel satisfaction with the publicity that it is being given,” said Soto.
The unsigned note reads:
“We are organized, and we inform the powers of this country, that we are not defeated, that we will continue to fight, we will continue to act, in whatever way is necessary, to remind you that you have taken all the powers and institutions of the country, but we have taken the streets and every public space, we are many and we are everywhere, we have only one face, that of the people.
NO TO THE FISCAL COMBO
THAT THE CRISIS IS PAID BY LXS RICXS”.
The last two words can be read as “LOS RICOS”, “THE RICH” in English.
Last week the Constitutional Court endorsed the process of the bill for the “Ley de Fortalecimiento de las Finanzas Públicas 20.580” (Strengthening of Public Finances), which returns the bill to the Legislative Assembly for a second and final debate.
The bill – which is expected to be voted on this month – if approved would then require the signature of President to go into effect.
The Government of President Carlos Alvarado has promoted the bill since his first days in office in May, saying it needed to start healing the State finances.
