Again, The absence of deputies to the block heads session – where the legislative agenda is planned – caused its suspension. As a consequence, the sessions prior to Holy Week, in which it was planned to repeal the point of the agreement authorized by the salary increase, were paralyzed.
The session was scheduled to start at 12. However, 44 minutes later it was suspended in the absence of assistance. Only representatives of the Cabal Banks, I think, Azul, Viva and Winaq were attended.
With this week there are two in which there are no sessions in the plenary, due to the absence of congressmen to plan the agenda.
The president of the Congress, Nery Ramos, said that as a Board of Directors they will continue to summon the sessions and promote the legislative agenda. In addition, he invited the deputies to participate.
He added: “To those who want to continue boycotting and conspirable, as president I have said that if they are on the side of the people and listen to their demands, it involves facing those internal difficulties, we are ready to do so. I prefer, in any case, a paralysis without increase and not an agenda that comes out of the people of Guatemala.”
Ramos said that all the blocks were summoned in advance and reiterated that only five of the 16 blocks to the call came.
Payment without working
Deputy Cristian Álvarez, of the CREO party, also criticized the absence.
“Apparently there is a group that wants to charge without working. Congress is not the place where one hides to discuss the country’s problems. To get the country to advance, you must be present; no one hires people who will not get to work,” he said.
“It makes no sense to approve a salary increase and then not appear to work,” he added.
According to the parliamentarian Sonia Gutiérrez, everything indicates that the deputies who did not attend plan to create a legislative crisis.
“We are the representation of the people, therefore it is important that we give an answer to the rejection of the salary increase. We have an agenda that is blocked, there are many issues, but there are a group of deputies who are conspirable so that we do not meet,” he said.
Deputy José Chic, of the VOS party, indicated that he did not attend because he had a personal matter and when he arrived, the session had risen, and in the case of the block leader he did not know the reasons for his absence.
The salary increase that the deputies were approved, which at first seemed to go unnoticed, soon became a social debate and has now also evidenced an internal conflict between legislators.
Approval
The morning of November 27, 2024 was key to the future of Congress. While the Guatemalans slept, the deputies approved the budget of the legislative agency, which included a significant salary increase.
Through a privileged motion, 87 legislators approved that their salary was matched that of the Judicial Agency Magistrates, with a minimum of Q45 thousand per month. This decision initially unnoticed, but soon unleashed a wave of criticism.
On March 26, the president of Congress, Nery Ramos, announced the suspension of the salary increase, waiting for the rest of parliamentarians to support the repeal of the agreement during the plenary session.
Aisis
According to the Efficient Entity, the average assistance of the legislative blocks of the Congress of the Republic between January 14, 2024 and March 31, 2025 was 83%.
I believe, blue and you, are the parties with more assists to Congress, while change, we and victory, are the political groups with less assistance.