Brasília, March 24, 2004 (Agência Brasil) - A bomb exploded yesterday (23) in the Brazilian consulate in Santiago. According to the Brazilian delegation in Chile, no one was injured, because the building was evacuated immediately after an anonymous telephone call. The consulate was already closed to the public. The bomb completely destroyed a women's bathroom in the building.

The Deputy-Consul in Chile, Sérgio Couto, corroborated today to the Agência Brasil that the consulate received an anonymous call warning about the explosive device. The call related the act to the detention of "political prisoners" in Brazil. These would be the Chileans responsible for kidnapping the advertising executive, Washington Olivetto, in São Paulo, in 2001. "Today, the Revolutionary Left Movement (MIR) sent an electronic message to the Chilean media, assuming responsibility for the explosion," the diplomat said.

Couto also affirmed that security in the building was reinforced to control public access.

Translator: David Silberstein