The Police of El Salvador reported on Wednesday, May 7, the arrest of seven entrepreneurs for collective passenger transport for several crimes, including breach of duties, for supposedly not providing the service normally after President Nayib Bukele announced the national gratuity of transport.
With these arrests, the entrepreneurs arrested in this context add 12. They are indicated by the crimes of breach of duties, denial of help, extortion and peculation, according to the police, which has not provided more details.
On Monday, five entrepreneurs were captured after holding a meeting with authorities of the Vice Ministry of Transportation.
Bukele announced Sunday night that transport would be free throughout the week at the national level, as a measure of the additional traffic generated by works on the Pan -American Highway, one of the main ones in the country, which connects the central area with the western one.
In the early hours of Monday, several bus stops looked crowded with users who were looking to move to different destinations, according to local media.
The situation began to normalize between Tuesday and this Wednesday, although some stops continue to register a considerable flow of people.
The Salvadoran president published Monday on his Facebook account: many public transport entrepreneurs did not go out to provide the service that corresponds to them (…) This action constitutes a clear sabotage to the country, and as always, the most affected is the town.
The National Civil Police must proceed with the capture of the owners of the routes involved, Bukele added.
Hours later, the Police reported on the arrest of entrepreneurs Genaro Ramírez, José Alejandro Arriaza, Alexander Sorto, Abel Reina and Nelson Moreno.
“We have proceeded with the capture of transport entrepreneurs that this day (Monday) did not provide the service normally or were charging the ticket, although the government had already covered that payment,” the National Civil Police published in the Social Network X.
The collective transport service will be free until May 11, Bukele said.
This government’s action has been applauded by some sectors and criticized by others, who claim that it does not contribute to expedite the work carried out on the Pan -American Highway.
In addition, some users in social networks cataloged the measure as a smoke curtain before the recent publication of an interview that the Digital El Faro made two gang former leaders. The investigation relates the president’s environment with pacts with gangs.
Bukele has not spoken, so far, about what was published by the lighthouse.