The Ministry of the Interior (Mingob) confirmed the definitive closure of the National Civil Police (PNC) canteens and announced that the benefit will be replaced by an economic bonus that will be granted to all police personnel, including administrative personnel.
Marco Antonio Villeda, in charge of the interior portfolio, explained that the decision was made after detecting irregularities in the purchases of supplies and determining that the system only benefited 23% of the police force.
“The canteens have been a constant source of complaints about anomalous purchases. The problem with the canteens, apart from the complaints that already existed due to irregularities in the acquisition of supplies, is that they only covered 23% of the police force,” commented the official.
He added that the benefit was only granted to police officers who served in the department of Guatemala and left out the rest of the agents who provided their services throughout the republic.
He added that the new scheme seeks to expand coverage through a direct financial contribution for all agents of the institution.
“What we are doing is universalizing this benefit, no longer through directly providing food to the agents of the National Civil Police, but through the implementation of a bonus that replaces this benefit, but that is granted to 100% of the Police personnel,” he said.
Villeda explained that the payment must comply with an administrative process in which the Mingob, the National Civil Service Office (ONSEC), the General Secretariat of the Presidency, the Attorney General’s Office (PGN) and the Technical Directorate of the Budget participate.
He commented that the payment will be retroactive to May 15, 2026, the date on which the closure of the police canteens was ordered.
“Because we know that this will take some time and that it will eventually be approved, although perhaps not immediately, we have decided that this,” he said.
Villeda explained that the Academy cafeterias, the Kindergarten and the National Civil Police Hospital will continue to operate.
Q500 bonus for each police officer
During a meeting with Deputy José Chic on March 4, the Ministry of the Interior (Mingob) detailed that the bonus will be Q500 for each police officer.
In addition, he noted that he has paid Q626.4 million for food in these canteens since 2022, when the first police canteen was inaugurated during the government of President Alejandro Giammattei, until February 2026.
The annual expenditure allocated to the operation of the dining rooms reached Q253.5 million in 2025, while until February 2026 the interior portfolio had disbursed Q52.5 million.
The cost of food per agent is Q10.50 for breakfast, Q24.00 for lunch and Q15.62 for dinner.