August 9, 1968

By Milt Sosin

A Cuban supermarket in Miami's "Little Havana" was blown up by a bomb, adding to the burdens of a police force already beset by rioting, sniping and looting.

The front of El Mundo Supermarket at 1057 W Flagler St., was destroyed by a bomb shortly before midnight. A metal awning of the store was ripped from its fastenings by the explosion.

The owner, Luis Nunez, 40, and his wife, Eva, of 2217 SW 19^th Street, were in the rear of the store at the time of the blast.

Miami Patrolman Ron Koivu said there was a strong smell of gunpowder when he arrived at the scene, indicating the bomb was a dynamite type rather than a plastic explosive such as C-4 used in many similar bombings.

Nunez and his wife told police they knew of no reason for the bombing and that they had received no threats.

But, Mrs. Nunez said, within five minutes after the bombing the telephone rang.

"I don't know how anyone would even know we would be in the supermarket that late," she said.

"The caller - a man - said it was a radio station calling and asked whether it was true that our market was blown up.

"I figure that maybe the person who did it phoned the radio station and told them about it."