Attack like in the 70s?: An explosive device detonated in front of the Caja Militar building in Montevideo

In the early hours of this Monday, June 15, around 1:00 AM, a man walked along Uruguay Avenue, in the heart of Montevideo. He left an explosive device at the main entrance of the Armed Forces Retirement and Pension Service —commonly known as Caja Militar— and walked away. Minutes later, the explosion occurred.

The blast shattered the glass of the main door and damaged the metal access curtain. Pieces of metal, plastic, and wires were scattered across the sidewalk. There were no injuries.

The operation was swift: the National Police, National Fire Department, Scientific Police, and the Army's Explosives Brigade worked at the scene. Security cameras captured the perpetrator.

The investigation is in the hands of the Police Investigation Directorate. For now, there are no arrests.

All hypotheses are open, although the modus operandi —an individual acting alone who deposits the device and walks away without forcing anything or stealing— suggests a premeditated attack against the institution rather than a common crime.

The Minister of Defense, Sandra Lazo, spoke with Telemundo and described the incident as “an isolated event.” At the same time, she acknowledged the concern: “We are not accustomed to this type of circumstance.”

She stated that she has already contacted the Ministry of the Interior and will wait for the results of the investigations to “take the appropriate measures.” The key phrase was clear: “This type of situation destabilizes us in some way because we are not used to it and we will never get used to it.”

This detail is not minor. Just three weeks prior, the Caja Militar had suspended pension payments to four former military personnel who are fugitives abroad, accused of crimes against humanity during the dictatorship.

The measure came after complaints from specialized prosecutor Ricardo Perciballe regarding irregularities in the collection of those benefits.

The incident generated political and union outrage, but also speculation on social media about possible reactions.

Are we witnessing a return to the practices of the seventies? The question is circulating. At that time, bomb attacks were common in the context of the Tupamaros guerrilla and the subsequent repression. Today, Uruguay has very low levels of political violence.

An explosive device detonated in front of a facility linked to the Armed Forces disrupts that relative normality and demands close attention.

For now, authorities insist that it is an isolated incident. The investigation will determine if there are intellectual authors, whether the device was homemade or more sophisticated, and if there is any link —direct or indirect— to the recent conflict over pensions for the former military personnel sought by Justice.

What is clear is that the incident leaves an uncomfortable image: a man walking calmly through downtown Montevideo, leaving an explosive at the door of a state institution and walking away without haste.

In a country that prides itself on its institutional stability, such scenes do not go unnoticed.

The Scientific Police continue to collect evidence. The Ministry of the Interior remains tight-lipped about the progress. Meanwhile, the question lingers: was it a solitary act by someone with a personal message or the beginning of something more organized?

For now, there is only one certainty: downtown Montevideo woke up with broken glass, debris on the sidewalk, and a new alert that no one expected.

The investigation continues. And with it, the need for quick and transparent answers. Because in Uruguay, such incidents, although isolated, cannot become a habit.