He Congress of the Republic received a petition backed by more than Five thousand signatures of registered citizens, who express their rejection of significant increase in Salaries of the deputies.
The public petition, which began a couple of weeks ago, was officially delivered this Monday, March 24, 2025.
The initiative was promoted by the National Civic Movement (MCN) with the aim of making citizen discontent and demanding that the increase will be reversed.
The MCN organized civic days in different parts of the country to collect firms, demonstrating the Population rejection to the decision of the legislators.
A citizen right
The right of petition is enshrined in Guatemalan legislation and allows citizens to present initiatives to Congress.
According to him Article 277 of the Political Constitution of the Republicthe population can propose constitutional reforms through a request supported by At least five thousand citizens properly registered.
Although this provision refers to reforms to the Magna Carta, the right of petition is also A valid tool to express concerns about other issues of public interest.
Cristha Walters, executive president of the MCN, explained that this action seeks not only to demonstrate citizen rejection, but also promote reforms in the electoral law and political parties.
“The Guatemalans do not feel represented by these types of decisions, so it is necessary to change the rules of the game to avoid these abuses,” Walters said.
Now, Congress is obliged to know the request and give an answer.
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Total cost
The total cost of the Congress form corresponding to February 2025 is considerablesince it reaches an amount of Q10 million 867 thousand. This figure includes wages and diets for various concepts.
If only salaries are considered, without taking into account diets or other additional payments, the total amounts to Q9 million 923 thousand. This amount, unless the measure is canceled, will be the fixed amount that the legislature must pay every month from now on, reflecting the impact of the approved salary increase.
On average, Congress used to pay around Q4.9 million per monthso the increase has almost doubled the expense.
Salary increase impact
The increase in the salaries of the deputies generated a strong debate in society.
The February 2025 form He revealed that the base salary of the congressmen went from Q9 thousand 550 to Q46 thousand 700 per month, multiplying almost five.
In addition, the members of the Board of Directors will receive additional income for different concepts, further raising the total remuneration:
- President of the Congress, Nery Ramos (Blue): Q97 thousand 300 per month, which include Q25 thousand for representation expenses, Q9 thousand 600 for plenary session diets, Q5 thousand for work in commissions, Q3 thousand for the Permanent Commission, Q6 thousand by sessions of the Board of Directors and Q2 thousand for its participation in the instance of bosses and block subjections.
- Vice Presidents (3): More than Q81 thousand 300, including Q15 thousand for representation expenses.
- Secretaries (5): Q76 thousand 300, with Q10 thousand for representation expenses and other concepts.
Also read: New legal actions seek that the CC sides the salary increase for deputies