The vice president of the Republic, Karin Herrera, in an interview with The network This Friday, April 4, he referred to the issue of his salary already ordered by Arévalo regarding the reduction of expenses.
Herrera gave this interview after the publication of Free press entitled: Vice President Karin Herrera did not reduce the salary, he wins more than President Arévalo and would be the best paid official in Guatemala.
He indicated that in 2024 President Arévalo told him that he had to reduce salary and that he had determined that he was 25 %, then he sent him a letter and had email with the model that she had to present and said that he still has that model.
“I already have the warning of the lawyers that this can bring legal consequences in the future, not at this time, then with future leaders,” he said.
He said that on the instructions of the President he made this request for salary reduction, he delivered it to Human Resources from Vice Presidency.
Then, Human Resources did a whole procedure that they have already established and requested opinions. “I understand that the technical opinion and legal opinion were unfavorable and then the Human Resources degree tells me, I say we have to move it to finance, my notes are sent finance along with the opinions and then it was there.”
“If I can say that I assumed, that was a mistake, I assumed that possibly because of the opinions they no longer said anything, truth, then I assumed, maybe I should have asked directly from why they tell me nothing, why they don’t write anything to me, truth,” he added.
He said that this 2024, the Communication Secretariat informed him that there was a note that was preparing Guatevisión and Press free And that a position was wanted, “then I tell you how strange this, it seemed strange and then we have a conversation with the president, the president raises the scenarios, I tell him that I directly do not want to say about the reduction for the legal issues in the future, not at this time, I have already passed from the transition and during this time several legal issues that mean expenses at the level of lawyers and because in that sense I wanted to avoid in that sense He told me that this was a possible scenario, because it is assumed because the instruction is already given and so it will be done. ”
Regarding the communications published Thursday by the President and the Vice Presidency, Herrera said they had talked because there was the possibility of leaving saying that they reduce it “, but that implies in the future, according to their lawyers, affect other vice presidents, because the rights” are not from Karin, but are the position. “
Regarding the Minister of Finance, Jonathan Menkos, he indicated that they have not received any opinion, the vicemandatary said he did hand over the opinions, but it seemed to him that there was a little noise. “I don’t know if he said it, because I did not listen to him, I only know that I was driving on some network and then I do have the copies of what was delivered, I did not send the letter, but that the manager of human resources of Vice Presidency, the licensed Cristi, and I understand that the signature appears there and the seal of received appears.”
“The opinions and that note came,” said Herrera.
When asked if he bothers him that he reduces the salary, the official replied: “Look, what I do want to avoid is any future legal problem, I have already had enough legal problems throughout the political situation that we have lived since the transition last year, and we continue to live. Then, at this time I already assumed and I will assume what has been said”.
How is the relationship with the president?
By consulting how your relationship with Arévalo is after this issue of salary, Herrera said: “Look, we talked, as I have expressed, No are friends. I would like to be more involved in some aspects, but I understand that this is the dynamics of governments in Guatemala. ”
He then indicated that he works on several projects in favor of the Guatemalans and their work days are “arduous”.
He was also consulted if his relationship with the Minister of Finance will be affected and indicated that he hopes that he is not affected, since the two “are already mature people.”
He affirmed that this stationery did not give it directly to the minister, but that this goes to the offices where it corresponds and it may not have been transferred the corresponding information.
“I already knew in advance that he,” I will see it, “I was going to go out with this statement and assumed because what I wanted to avoid were legal problems for me in the future, then I assumed and then forward, because here what matters is Guatemala,” he added.
He also indicated that “those technical and legal arguments are valid from the point of view of those who prepared it. I delivered them when I delivered my file and at this time we are already at another stage that is already to follow the instruction of the president.”
Regarding why they waited for the publication of the report on the subject of their salary, Herrera replied: “You know there are always analysts and those who recommend and One continues the instructions of who they advise. ”
He added that since his shoes he has always been a person who likes to say things as they were. “I usually be very direct, but many times that has stronger complications, so it is fine as it was, that was a legal note, that statement all it contains is verifiable, then I accepted that proposal.”
He indicated that even the issue of the report was previously spoken with President Arévalo and that he also spoke with his private secretary, so there is communication and perhaps opportunities for improvement.