The Board of Directors of the Congress decided to cancel the minutes that allowed the salary increase for the deputies.
Nery Ramos, the president of the legislative agency, headed the press conference in which he announced the decision, after the failed plenary session that had been convened for yesterday, which was suspended by the absence of legislators.
Before the announcement of the managers, a group of five deputies had signed a privileged motion to ask the Congress to know an initiative of the law that would repeal the economic benefit for the legislators.
Although the act that ordered the increase was annulled, Ramos announced that a law initiative will be presented to the Plenary, so that the attempt can be expelled from the legislation, consigned in article 3 of Agreement 31-2024, which approves the budget of the legislative agency for the period 2025.
“Hypocrites”
An exchange of Ramos statements during February denied the increase for deputies. Free Press, on the other hand, published the 10-2025 act, which confirmed that the payment had been ordered, which was completed through the 21-2025 act on February 25 and the payment that corresponded as a base salary of Q46 thousand 700 per month was made effective.
On February 28, the deputies received their new salaries, which added to the economic benefits as representation and diets expenses rose from Q66 thousand for a satin deputy and until Q97 thousand for the president, considering that the heads of blocks and members of the directive receive higher bonuses.
Yesterday, Ramos himself explained that the decision had been made to cancel the economic benefit.
“As a Board of Directors we do not have the authority to repeal an agreement of the Congress, but it does give us power to suspend act 21, which establishes the salary increase,” said Ramos.
Although he did not give names or mention political parties, Ramos also took advantage of the conference to criticize some deputies.
“Others, who completely kept silent and that now raise their voice, and – as I told them – hypocrites opportunistic, I reiterate this time: opportunistic hypocrites that find how to get political revenue from some decisions that are made in this congress of the Republic. Because they are the ones who speak most and more shout, the ones that communicate the most in social networks, but that day the hypocrities were silent word against that motion presented by some deputies, ”he said.
Ramos added: “When the people of Guatemala pronounced and said no, the hypocrisy comes to light and ride in a legitimate feeling of the people, trying to get political revenue. Care, people of Guatemala, with those wolves dressed in sheep, because those are the most treacherous, who do not speak in front. Those of us who are here gave our face at all times.
Minutes before the Directive Conference, the official bloc had presented two law initiatives that sought to repeal the salary increase and assured that they were never in favor of the agreement.
Samuel Pérez, headed the group and said that from the beginning we opposed the increase and the first payment they received had donated to the volunteer firefighters.
“With 23 deputies we have given the battle without Bloqu, without a game (…) For the Semilla bench, it was time to resume the direction that the people of Guatemala delegated us at the polls and that defended in the streets. It is time to pause and forward the way,” Pérez said.
The first vice president of Congress, Jorge Castro, said that the salary leveling was known within the framework of the law and as established by the Organic Law. However, he argued that they know the situation that the country is going through and that that also prompted them to make the decision.
Deputy Luis Aguirre said that Congress was “quite productive” in 2024. However, following the salary increase, the agenda does not advance this year and hopes that Tuesday will have Quorum to know the pending issues.
Promoted amparos
On March 1, the VIVA block presented an action in the Constitutional Court (CC) to annul the 10-2025 act of the agreement that allowed to increase the base salary of the deputies.
On December 2, the CC processed two amparos presented by Deputy José Chic, of the VOS bench, and by Citizen Action.
On March 18, the CC requested the Congress of new reports on the 10 and 21 minutes issued by the Board of Directors, in which the salary increases for the deputies were authorized and executed.
Despite the promoted amparos, the CC had not resolved the same, which caused criticism from various sectors and the speakers of the actions.
“There was enough time for them to meet them and more because it was a topic of national interest. Obviously, they were wanting to give Congress more time to not know this matter and ignore popular clamor,” said Manfredo Marroquín, director of Citizen Action.
“They wanted to benefit the Congress. It is evident that there is an understanding between Congress and the CC to cover with the same Chamara, in this case and in others that come to the future, as suggested to their interests,” said Marroquín.
The lawyer and legal consultant, Andy Javalois, indicated that the amparo action is a legal mechanism protecting rights and must be addressed with the promptness established by the Amparo Law.
“Then it is required that the answer to these issues be as soon as possible, especially to respond to the fair concerns of those who see as an unbearable act, this type of self -conferred salary increase conferred by the deputies,” he said.
On March 24, the members of the 48 cantons of Totonicapán mobilized to the capital city to deliver memorials to the executive body and the Congress of the Republic, in rejection of the salary increase.