Representatives of the 48 cantons of Totonicapán arrived on Monday, March 24, to deliver several requests to the executive and legislative body.
Leticia Zapeta, vice president of the Board of Directors of the 48 cantons, expressed in front of the National Palace of Culture his concern for ungovernability and economic losses caused by erroneous decisions of the Government Cabinet.
“We are also concerned about certain arbitrary decisions from the Justice sector and the Congress of the Republic,” he said.
Before the repeal of the government agreements that gave life to the mandatory insurance for vehicles, they demanded the dismissal of advisors, advisors and officials of the Presidency, who are responsible for increasing citizen discontent and generating uncertainty that the national economy has affected.
The 48 cantons also demanded the immediate repeal of the salary increase to the deputies and announced that they will be analyzing the actions to be taken in the next few days. In addition, they requested that the congressmen return the money they received for said increase and that all public officials reduce their wages, as promised during the electoral campaign.
“That it is not just a populist speech. There must be coherence with the campaign commitment, where it was said that in this government salaries would be reduced,” Zapeta emphasized.
He also announced that they will meet with the Council of Mayors to define measures to follow and that, if in the next five days they do not receive a government response, they will analyze new actions.
#Leradinforma | Leticia Zapeta: “We want those governmental agreement to be completed that are only harming the people” pic.twitter.com/p7dyb7npwp
– The Network (@Lared1061) March 24, 2025
Leticia Zapeta, Vice President of the Board of Directors of the 48 cantons (Video Press Free: The Network)
Open dialogue proposal
Zapeta clarified that the 48 cantons are promoting an open, transparent dialogue table and with the participation of the original peoples.
“We are not doing anything hidden from our people. Everything must be of the knowledge of the original peoples, so we ask that the dialogue table be installed in Totonicapán,” he said.
He also stressed that the demonstrations of 2023 were not to support President Bernardo Arévalo, but to defend democracy.
“Thanks to those manifestations, he,” Arévalo Bernardo, “came to the position he occupies today. Therefore, we believe that he owes the people. And the people demand that they fulfill their promises, because we are already tired of not being fulfilled,” said Zapeta.
#Leradinforma | Leticia Zapeta, vice president of the 48 cantons, proposes a dialogue table without restrictions in Totonicapán to guarantee transparency to the town in the conversations. pic.twitter.com/ry1iz0ibbx
– The Network (@Lared1061) March 24, 2025
Leticia Zapeta, Vice President of the Board of Directors of the 48 cantons (Video Press Free: The Network)
Consult indigenous peoples
Finally, the 48 cantons reiterated their requirement of total repeal of the mandatory vehicle insurance, and requested that any future decision in this area be consulted with indigenous peoples, as it is an issue that directly affects them.
They do not receive them in Congress
The 48 cantons of Totonicapán walked from the National Palace of Culture to the Congress of the Republic, where they wanted to meet with the president of that agency, Nery Ramos.
Indigenous leaders tried to be received by the instance of block chiefs, but were rejected, since they were closed access, he reported The network.
#Leradinforma | Representatives of the 48 cantons try to enter the instance of block leaders in Congress, but they have been denied access. pic.twitter.com/dxy42dp0bp
– The Network (@Lared1061) March 24, 2025
Juan Ajpacajá, president of the 48 cantons, approached a parliamentary guard to request information on whether they would finally be attended, but did not obtain a specific response, according to the report of that media.
Because in Congress they did not attend them, Ajpacajá warned that they would take legal actions for not allowing them to enter the instance of blocks of blocks to expose their demands.
Ajpacajá also expressed his disagreement for the attitude of the authorities, because that demonstrates disinterest in the problems of indigenous peoples and disconnection with the legitimate demands of the Guatemalan people.
“We have not been attended by the Board of Directors of the Congress or by the Presidency. If we are not heard, we will take the necessary measures, including legal actions,” said the authorities of the 48 cantons.