El Salvador to investigate death threats against justices

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador – El Salvador’s chief prosecutor says he is opening an investigation into a complaint that governing party activists have made death threats against Supreme Court justices.

Chief Prosecutor Douglas Melendez says the probe is based on a complaint by Supreme Court Justice Florentin Melendez, who is no relation to the prosecutor.

The justice has complained that government supporters have staged demonstrations with placards containing the threats. Melendez belongs to what is known as the court’s constitutional Tribunal. He says protesters have carried banners reading “Death to the four justices of the constitutional Tribunal.”

The constitutional Tribunal declared unconstitutional the current administration’s issuance of $900 million in government bonds and unseated alternate congress members.

Presidential spokesman Eugenio Chicas said Tuesday that the administration of President Salvador Sanchez Ceren disavows the threats.