El Salvador Seizes Opposition Arena Party Headquarters

In El Salvador, the Prosecutor's Office (FGR) on Friday raided the opposition Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) party's headquarters based on an investigation showing the alleged diversion of a millionaire donation sent by Taiwan. 

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Over US$15 million were delivered by Taiwan between 2003 and 2004 to help the victims of two earthquakes that affected El Salvador in 2001.

In 2019, the FGR accused ex-Presidents Francisco Flores (1999-2004) and Elias Saca (2004-2009) of diverting US$10 million of this donation to ARENA's accounts.

On Friday, the FGR ordered the freezing of US$3.9 million, which includes funds received by the party for participating in elections.

At the moment of his death on Jan. 30, 2016, Flores was under house arrest awaiting a public hearing on corruption charges.  

Since 2018, Saca is serving a 10-year prison sentence for diverting and laundering over US$300 million from the state budget during his administration.

Ruling the country from 1989 until 2009, ARENA was founded in 1981 by the military Roberto D'Aubuisson, who was accused of commanding a death squad and planning the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero.