The social rejection of the salary increase of the deputies continues, but according to analysts, Congress has no intention of giving up privileges. This leaves the task in the hands of the Constitutional Court (CC), which has already received a new action against the increase and, in the next few hours, two more are expected.
Although the CC has already rejected a first appeal against the increase in the salary of the deputies, in its justifications it explained that the action did not question the correct act. Therefore, the new amparos focus on questioning the act 21-2025 of the Board of Directors of the Congress.
That was the document with which the board, chaired by Deputy Nery Ramos, completed the new salary for legislators, who went from having a base salary of Q9 thousand 150 to win Q46 thousand 700 per month.
Armando Castillo, former presidential vision with values (Viva), presented a new amparo. He took as the considerations that the Court gave this week by rejecting the first action against the salary increase.
“We now have in the pending CC that two amparos resolved. One is where we challenge the 10th act of the Board of Directors, because it is the root of the approval that gave life to the increase, and the other is for Act 21, where what is approved in Act 10 is specified, ”he explained.
In the background, the Court indicated that it was in the “Second, literal point ‘A’, of the Board of Directors number 21-2025” where the salary increase was formalized, a document that had not been challenged, according to the reasoned vote of the magistrate Roberto Molina Barreto.
In the new amparo, Castillo challenges both the document and the sections of the minutes approved by the Board of Directors, so he hopes that the Court is not evaded to stop the salary increase of the deputies.
“We hope that the Court interprets the feeling of the population, which is totally contrary to the deputies to double the salary and cause definance. They have in their hands give an answer to the people of Guatemala, because this is a popular clamor, ”he said.
Without justifications
The Citizen Action Organization (AC) said that in the next few hours it will present a new amparo against the salary increase of the deputies. They will also challenge the 21-2025 act of the Ramos Directive.
Although the president of the Congress said that the issue was separated, it is not known which deputies of the Board of Directors voted in favor of this act. Ramos did not want to individualize the votes when questioned and, in the different reports sent to the CC, the signature section does not appear.
With the new amparo, questioning the “correct” document, it would not be possible for the CC to reject the resource. At least, Manfredo Marroquín, founder of AC.
“People are outraged with the salary increase of deputies because they are salary completely far from national reality. We are talking about more than 20 times a minimum wage in Guatemala, ”he said.
He also highlighted how the salary increase of the deputies is remote not only from technical foundations, until Morales, since, in his opinion, the recent activity of Congress leaves much to be desired.
“They have not submitted a technical livelihood to approve their salary and annoying increase because the congress is not wearing working. It costs to meet a social demand. ”
Since they were paid with the new salary, in the sessions of the Congress no new agreement or decree has been approved. Some sessions have even risen due to the absence of the deputies who did not get to work.
But next to Castillo and the next appeal, the deputy José Chic, of will, opportunity and solidarity (you) will also present an amparo.
He already managed to stop the compensation that the deputies had approved and hopes that with this amparo, also attacking the 21-2025 act, the salary increase of the congressmen can be stopped.
They look for 5 thousand signatures
The citizen struggle to stop the salary increase of the deputies is not limited to the legal scenario. The National Civic Movement (MCN) also seeks signatures to show legislators that citizens are not satisfied with them.
The organization hopes to gather 5,000 signatures and deliver them to the Congress to request that the salary increase of the deputies be suspended, who, with this increase and additional economic benefits, will receive salaries between Q66 thousand 300 and Q97 thousand 300.
Currently, the organization maintains, between digital and physical firms, 4,400. They hope to reach 5,000 next week to formally ask the Congress to revert the salary increase.
He @MCnguatemala It has 4,300 signatures, between digital and physical, which reject the salary increase of deputies. Upon reaching 5,000 they will present them in Congress asking to cancel the salary increase of the deputies of Q46, 700. https://t.co/l98eyunhtb
– Douglas Cuevas (@dcuevas_gtv) March 13, 2025
Unsustainable increase
The rejection of the salary increase of the deputies has a technical reason, according to the analyst Walter Menchú, of the National Economic Research Center (one hundred). He assured that Congress funds will not allow this medium and long term increase.
The increase was insured in the approval of the budget by 2025, according to financial reports. This budget already contemplated an increase of Q270 million.
However, only the cost of the 160 deputies will represent, in one year, Q71 million, while the line of personal services, destined to pay wages, rose only Q50 million. This means that, to cover at least one year of these salaries, Q20 million is missing, Menchú explained.
“It will become unsustainable because now the free road was left so that employees can earn any amount of money. We will see employees that in a short time will reach Q100 thousand per month. ”
Despite the clear numbers, the analyst considers that the deputies will not recognize their mistake. “The deputies are increasingly cynical. One shows the information and they say that they are wrong, that they are being attacked, but their speech is to make the crazy and the disregard. ”
The salary increase to public officials and employees has proven risky for the finances of a country. Menchú warns that, if not reversed, Guatemala will suffer significant consequences.
“Much of what led Costa Rica to red numbers and a budget imbalance was the payment of salaries without control, because the collection does not reach. In Guatemala, Q4 of each Q10 that are paid in taxes are allocated to salaries ”, concluded.