Explosive device injures top official with Chile's Codelco
SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — The Chilean state-run mining company Codelco says the president of its board of directors is recovering from injuries caused by an explosive device that was delivered to his home on Friday.
Codelco said in a statement that Oscar Landerreche is in "fine health conditions after being victim of an explosive device that he received at home." The world's top copper producing company said it "drastically condemns these types of acts that will be investigated" to find those responsible.
President Michelle Bachelet also repudiated the attack, saying the bomb was delivered as a gift and that Landerreche's young daughter was at home.
"Fortunately, nothing happened to her or the other members of her family, only Oscar has injuries," Bachelet said.
The attack is rare in Chile. The South American country is widely regarded as one the region's most stable and safest.
Landerreche, 44, is an economist and has been heading the board of directors at Codelco since 2014. His father, who is also named Oscar Landerreche, told local radio Biobio that the explosive package was delivered by a woman as gift from the faculty of the University of Chile.
Chile produces about a third of the world's copper and its firm economy is largely built around exports of minerals. Codelco has endured strikes by workers demanding improvements in safety and job conditions in the past, but the company currently does not have any pending labor conflicts.
