Guatemala Bus Bombing Update

Two leaders from the Little Sayco Criminal clique along with three other individuals are being held in connection with Monday's bus bombing that left seven people dead in Guatemala.

Gustavo Pirir and Eulogio Escobar managed the attack on the bus from the jail where they were being held prior to their transfer Wednesday to a maximum-security prison, the prosecutor said.

Pirir and Escobar are the leaders of a Mara 18 faction known as Little Sayco Criminal that is behind an extortion racket targeting bus companies in the western section of the capital, Lopez said...

"Gustavo Pirir managed and directed all the operations from jail, not just the extortion, but he also coordinated the attacks" on buses, the prosecutor said.

Pirir was involved romantically with Sonia Veliz, the 20-year-old woman arrested Tuesday for planting the bomb on the bus.

Veliz was "captured using a robot photo prepared with the testimony of a survivor of the attack," Lopez said.

Another jailed Mara 18 member, Carlos Rodriguez, detonated the bomb from prison using a cell phone, Lopez said.

Rodriguez, who was also transferred to a maximum-security prison on Wednesday, "communicated with other people outside (the prison) who made the bombs that he detonated from jail with a call," the prosecutor said.

Esvin Rolando Avendaño Monzón, a partner and ex director of the Rutas Qutzal, the transport compnay targeted in the attack, was the fifth person arrested.  The Public Prosecutor's office has accused Avendaño of conspiracy, racketeering, obstruction of transit, and money laundering. 

They say Avendaño was responsible for delivering the extortion payments from the bus company to the gang.  However, he never delivered the October, November and December payments.  Instead he deposited the payments in his own account.  The attack was ordered as a result of the non-payment.  (Siglo XXI, Prensa Libre).