Arrest in Bus Attack

Guatemalan authorities have arrested a suspect in Monday's bombing of a bus on the Guatemala City - San Juan Sacatepéquez route.  The attack left seven dead and fifteen injured.  Police believe that a woman left the bomb on the bus and detonated it by cell phone. However, it doesn't appear certain that they know how the bomb was detonated (or at least they are not sharing the information).

Authorities arrested twenty year old Sonia Elizabeth Véliz Hernández or Dominica Isabel Carrera Hernández (not sure which is the real name) on Tuesday.  She is alleged to be a member of MS-13 complete with tattoo markings on her chest and two tears under her left eye.

It still appears that the attack was tied to an extortion racket in which transport companies on that route had been targeted for the last several years and follows a recent year end report on the dangers of working in the Guatemalan transport sector.

Guatemalan bus drivers paid US$1.5 million (S$1.92 million) in extortion money to organised crime rings in 2010, according to a police report out on Monday.

Over the course of 2010 police arrested more than 500 criminals and charged them with trying to extort money from business owners and workers.

Some of those charged were members of the notorious Mara 18 street gang, according to Donald Gonzalez, a spokesman with the national civil police.

Public transport workers appear to be at particular risk. Human rights groups said that between January and November, 119 drivers and 51 transport aides were shot dead.

While gangs have killed drivers, assistants, and passengers in the past, this does appear to be a major escalation.  It's also reminiscent of last years attack on a bus in Mejicanos, El Salvador.