Several thousand people marched to the central plaza in the country’s capital of San Salvador, brandishing signs declaring “no to dictatorship” and “we were defrauded by Bitcoin.”

The demonstrations were largely peaceful though one group smashed windows and set fire to a Bitcoin ATM kiosk installed last month ahead of the cryptocurrency’s rollout as legal tender.

The country’s president, Nayib Bukele tweeted:

“They say that the “vandalism” was done by “infiltrators”, but they have made vandalism in ALL their manifestations. Also, why are there no shouts of “stop” or “don’t do that”? What is heard are APPLAUSE and CHEER; and there is the press.”

There have been protests against the bitcoin law since July. But today the protests were by far the fiercest, with thousands of citizens taking to the streets, according to local media.

The protests are not only against the Bitcoin law but also against President Bukele, who the protestors believe has weakened the country’s courts and consolidated too much power.

Bukele previously has been received positively in opinion polls for improving security in the tiny Central American country, but recently he has been criticized for perceived authoritarianism.

Read the full article at Fintechs.fi