SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador 鈥� El Salvador's military says the national police director, other high-ranking police officials and a fugitive banker were among nine people killed in a military helicopter crash in a rural part of the country.
The cause of the crash on Sunday night is under investigation. It occurred after the banker, Manuel Coto, was captured in Honduras over the weekend and handed over to Salvadoran authorities at the border.
Coto, the former manager of the COSAVI savings and loan cooperative, had been the subject of an Interpol arrest warrant and one of 32 people implicated in the embezzlement of more than $35 million by the cooperative鈥檚 directors and employees.
El Salvador's military in a post on X said the air force helicopter crash occurred in the area of San Eduardo, Pasaquina, La Union. It said the director general of the National Civil Police, Mauricio Arriaza Chicas, and two deputies were aboard.
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El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele said in a post on X that 鈥渨hat happened cannot remain as a simple 鈥榓ccident鈥�" and must be investigated thoroughly "and to the ultimate consequences. We will request international help.鈥�
Bukele noted that Arriaza Chicas had led the government鈥檚 fight against the gangs that once dominated daily life for much of the Salvadoran population. Bukele鈥檚 harsh crackdown on the gangs and have been condemned by human rights organizations.
Security specialist Luis Contreras, said it was unlikely Arriaza Chicas鈥� death would negatively impact the war against the gangs, which the government claims it has all but eliminated.
鈥淚n El Salvador there are many experienced people and police commissioners who could replace the late director," Contreras said.
Contreras maintained that the gangs no longer have the capacity to react. 鈥淐rime is not eliminated, but rather neutralized," he said. 鈥淭he neutralization El Salvador's government has achieved against the gangs has been almost 90%.鈥�
Bukele ordered flags to fly at half-staff Monday in remembrance of Arriaza Chicas, whom he described as a 鈥渘ational hero.鈥�
鈥淎ll flags, throughout the national territory, as well as in our embassies and consulates, will fly at half-staff for three days in honor of the director of the National Civil Police,鈥� Bukele said on X.
Meanwhile, the bodies of the victims were taken to the capital in a caravan guarded by police.
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