MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Explosive device goes off at Argentine Rural Society President's office

In the aftermath of these events, Pino postponed a meeting at Casa Rosada with Cabinet Chief Guillermo Francos scheduled for later Thursday

An explosive device went off Thursday at the headquarters of the Argentine Rural Society (SRA) in Buenos Aires. There were no fatalities but SRA President Santiago Pino's secretary and other people were reported to have been wounded.

A package addressed to Pino was detonated when the recipients tried to open it, thus prompting the intervention of the Buenos Aires City Police's Explosives Brigade. A second parcel addressed to SRA Vice President Marcos Pereda was not opened but rather detonated in a controlled fashion by the experts. It was eventually ruled out that it posed any threat.

The object sent to Pino “did not have shrapnel to generate damage when exploding,” the authorities explained. “The person who opened [it] only has a bruise on her face.” However, other people needed medical help after inhaling the fumes stemming from the explosion.

ASÍ DETONÓ EL PAQUETE BOMBA QUE LE ENVIARON AL PRESIDENTE DE LA SOCIEDAD RURAL#VolvieronLosMontoneros pic.twitter.com/vi8cR7nhYd

— Agarra la Pala (@agarra_pala) September 6, 2024

“From the Sociedad Rural Argentina we inform [the citizenry] that today in our headquarters, we received a package that generated smoke when opened, activating the security protocol of the building,” the SRA said in a statement. “It should be clarified that no one was injured and that the people who were in contact with the smoke were taken to an assistance center for proper control. In view of this situation, we alerted the public forces who are carrying out the corresponding operation throughout the building and conducting the relevant investigation,” the document went on.

In the aftermath of these events, Pino postponed a meeting at Casa Rosada with Cabinet Chief Guillermo Francos scheduled for later Thursday.