The Congress has to give explanations to the Constitutional Court (CC) for the salary increase approved for the deputies. The information requirement is due to a legal action that questions the increase and was admitted for processing.
The Citizen Action Organization (AC) presented a due execution that questions the salary increase, as it estimates that it could be breached with the steps set by the CC in a previous ruling.
The Court suspended compensation and established a procedure for parliamentarians to analyze their increase, economic benefit that was prescribed in November last year, when the Congress budget was approved by 2025.
But on February 4, the Board of Directors authorized the salary increase for the deputies to win Q47 thousand 600 per month. This, according to Act 10-2025, whose existence was recognized by the president of Congress, Nery Ramos.
However, a provisional amparo in favor of deputy José Chic, from the will Block Opportunity and Solidarity (VOS), complicated things to most deputies, since the CC granted Amparo and said that the salary increase should be financially analyzed and ratified by the Plenary of Congress.
The act shows that the decision remained on the Board of Directors and the discussion to the plenary was not high. The due execution seeks that the steps set by the Court be respected, and that is why Congress has to explain in 24 hours if it has respected said resolution.
The Legislative received the notification of the CC this Thursday, February 27 at 11.02 and has until Friday morning to pay its report. The Court explained in a recent statement that if the deputies do not respect their resolutions they can act ex officio.
#Now the @CC_guatemala It gives the @CongresOguate 24 hours to respond if you have complied with the amparo that established a procedure to define the salary increase for deputies. Minutes show that the Board of Directors did not follow the steps established by the CC. pic.twitter.com/c6MWL90SLT
– Douglas Cuevas (@dcuevas_gtv) February 27, 2025
They warn measures
Social rejection against the decision of the deputies is increasing. The 48 cantons of Totonicapán issued a statement and warned of “measures” if the Congress is not retracting the salary increase for the deputies.
“As ancestral authorities of Totonicapán we have rejected this absurd decision since December 2024, so we demand from the Congress of the Republic completely veto this salary increase, otherwise we will take certain measures,” they said.
The 48 cantons of Totonicapán participated in a series of social demonstrations in October 2023 in which they defended the inauguration of the then elected president, Bernardo Arévalo, and maintained de facto measures in different parts of the country for several weeks.
In the event that ancestral leaders decide to make a protest against Congress, it would be the first demonstration against the tenth legislature.
They delay payment
Until the afternoon of February 27, the deputies had not received their monthly payment. Although they usually receive their remuneration approximately 20 of each month, according to deputies of the VOS block, which offered a press conference rejecting the salary increase.
The congressmen of the block set a joint position against the increase, with the exception of Karina Paz, first secretary of the directive, who did support the increase according to the act.
“The deputies are always deposited first. It is important to say that because they are waiting for Friday to arrive and that there is no one to make the deposits. The instructions have already turned, read the act 10-2025, ”explained Deputy Orlando Blanco.
The decision adopted by the Board of Directors, where President Ramos did not participate and voted against the third secretary, Juan Carlos Rivera, will allow legislators to have a salary increase. This act was published by Press Free on Wednesday, February 26.
“Here we are facing the deputies of the Vos party, saying that we oppose all these aberrations. We opposed the increase to development councils, we do not vote for this board of directors, we do not vote for budget extension and we will endorse an increase for the deputies, ”said Blanco.
So far only two political parties have demonstrated against the increase in salary for deputies. The first was Vos, who through an amparo stopped the economic benefits for the deputies; and the second was vision with values (living).
The rest of the political parties, including the official and allies, have remained silent for the decision of the board. The deputies will win Q29 thousand 150 to receive Q46 thousand 700 every month.
#Now The 48 cantons of Totonicapán warns of measures if the @CongresOguate It does not turn back with the salary increase for the deputies that was authorized by the Board of Directors of the Congress. The deputies increased the salary to Q46, 700.@prensa_libre@Guatevision_tv pic.twitter.com/2uvlsBPBQ
– Douglas Cuevas (@dcuevas_gtv) February 27, 2025