El Salvador court freezes ex-president’s bank accounts

SAN SALVADOR — El Salvador’s Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered bank accounts of former president Mauricio Funes, who is facing civil trial for alleged illegal enrichment, frozen because the origin of the $700,000 they contain was unknown.

The court also said it might order the “preventive seizure” of properties and other assets owned by Funes, who was in office between 2009 and 2014.

Funes on Tuesday railed against the civil case opened against him and said he had documents proving his money and assets came from legal sources.

He denies the allegations that he filled his pockets while in power and says he is the victim of a “political vendetta” because he exposed corruption under the conservative government that preceded him.

One of the allegations he made was against Francisco Flores, the country’s president between 1999 and 2004, whom he accused of embezzling $15 million donated by Taiwan for earthquake relief.

Flores died late last month after a massive stroke as he was awaiting trial.