The burned ATM was one of 200 recently installed in El Salvador. The protesters include the Bitcoin Law in a list rejecting other government measures.
A week after El Salvador became the first country worldwide to accept bitcoin (BTC) as legal tender; the demonstrations by opponents of the government of Nayib Bukele left the burning of one of the Chivo ATMs installed as a balance in the capital of the country.
According to the information revealed on social networks, this September 15, protesters invaded the streets of San Salvador to stand against the government.
Opponents rejected many of Bukele and his recent moves, including the chance of presidential re-election and the enactment of the Bitcoin Law.
The protesters also questioned the reforms to the Judicial Career Law that make it easier for the Supreme Court of Justice to transfer or dismiss judges or magistrates, which many consider a lack of respect for the separation of powers.
The day of marches, which had peacefully taken place, closed with an incident involving an ATM that served to operate with the ‘Chivo’ electronic wallet, launched by the government last week, got reduced to ashes in the Historic Center.
The Commemoration of the Bicentennial of the Independence of Central America from Spain
Before the fire, the protesters had written, on the windows that protected the ATM, A slogan against Bukele appeared in the images revealed in a tweet by Diario El Salvador. Some videos also show how they then proceeded to set the machine on fire.
The protesters had left peacefully from various parts of the city with banners consigning slogans about respect for the Constitution and others with a position against the dictatorship, resistance, and popular rebellion. They all agreed to meet in the historic center of the city, as the report said.
There has not been a direct pronouncement from the Salvadoran president regarding these events, except to retweet a comment highlighting how the vandalism received negative criticism.
Salvadorans: For and Against Bitcoin
On September 14, the Salvadoran leader presented on Twitter a balance of the use of cryptocurrency one week after the Bitcoin Law came into effect.
Bukele explained the installation of some 200 ATMs in different parts of the country and the corrections in the Chivo portfolio.
He also highlighted the activation of 50 ATMs in the US cities of San Francisco, El Doral, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, El Paso, Houston, Laredo, and McAllen.
The president spoke of an increase in the number of businesses that accepted payments in bitcoin or dollars, even using applications other than the Chivo Wallet wallet.
The businesses highlighted by the president in his tweet are Super Selectos, Dollar City, Pollo Campero, Don Pollo, Wendy’s, Banco Cuscatlán, and Farmacias San Nicolás.
These businesses joined the McDonald’s and Pizza Hut franchises in El Salvador. These two franchises announced their acceptance of the new payment method. On the other hand, Banco Agrícola, a private financial institution, started to create a new app for BTC.
By: Jenson Nuñez
