Prior to Holy Week, the Government faced a series of protests led by various social sectors, including teachers, health workers and indigenous authorities, who demand compliance with several demands. These manifestations are a reflection of social discontent that will continue to face and that could be intensified.
On April 10, after concluding a walk that began in the Plaza El Obelisco, Zone 10, and culminated in the Plaza de la Constitución, the magisterial leader Joviel Acevedo warned that the demonstrations of the teaching will continue after Holy Week, stating that the last sessions to negotiate the collective pact with the Ministry of Education were suspended.
He also indicated that, although protections are interposed so that the benefits for teachers are declared unconstitutional, they will continue to seek actions to approve.
The Vice Minister of Education, Francisco Cabrera, indicated that next Tuesday, April 22, a mixed board is scheduled, which attends specific labor conflicts, and on Wednesday 23 there will be a negotiation session of the collective pact, which will be number 43.
Demand
The indigenous authorities of the 48 cantons of Totonicapán and different social sectors have expressed their rejection of the base salary increase of Q46 thousand 700 that the deputies were approved.
Prior to rest, the members of the Board of Directors of the 48 cantons went to the Congress of the Republic and presented a memorial in rejection of that increase, indicating that it is an “arbitrary and abusive decision”.
Juan Ajpacajá, president of the Cantones Directive, said that this week they will meet with the Council of Mayors and analyze what measures they will take to pressure parliamentarians.
“For now I cannot tell him what kind of measures, but we will analyze in advice,” he said.
In the last two weeks, the bench leaders have not submitted to meetings to plan the legislative agenda in the plenary, so they remain suspended and, therefore, you cannot repeal the point of the agreement that authorized that benefit for the congressmen.
For this Monday, the block heads session is scheduled again, in which the points to be treated will be discussed in the Plenary. Although, if not having the assistance of the parliamentarians, it will again be suspended, as well as the following plenary sessions.
Health
The salary and labor demands of health workers are still pending resolution.
The Ministry of Health maintains a technical dialogue table to discuss the salary increase to the health, this time with the National San Juan de Dios Union, which raises an increase of Q2 thousand more than the portfolio proposes.
The health portfolio proposes Q1 thousand for those in a dependency relationship and a single bonus of Q2 thousand for those who do not have that relationship. In May, the transfer of contractors will begin at Plazas 011. They also indicated that they have no clarity about the transfer of professionals to a professional place, and are concerned about the payment of the student scholarship for the Epesists.
Luis Alpirez was consulted, a member of one of the unions of the health, and indicated that “they managed to make the Ministry of Health to negotiate.” “The commission met every Friday, there was known since April 2 the proposal of the workers,” he added.
“The conditions of our proposal and against the proposal of the Ministry of Health are analyzed by the Financial Committee and thus the negotiation progresses,” he explained.
Likewise, Carlos Noé Santos Urías, general secretary of the San Juan de Dios National Union, commented that they requested a meeting to know what progress is in the negotiation of the proposal, as well as the transfer of contracts and professionals.
The promise of dialogue with the Ministry caused the blockades of April 2 to be lifted and the scheduled for the following days be raised and canceled. However, the trade unionists warned that, if in two weeks – which would be fulfilled after the Easter break – health does not present a proposal that satisfies their demands, they will resume the measures.
Duty
On April 5, a 10% tariff entered into force for imports to the United States of Guatemalan products, as provided by President Donald Trump.
In that sense, Guatemala government authorities said they have a road map to negotiate this tariff issue with the US.
According to a statement issued by the Business Commission of Negotiations and International Trade (Cencit), the impact on the Guatemalan export sector has been immediate.
Exporting companies revealed in previous days that some have already paid more than US $ 2 million in tariffs. This situation has affected key products such as coffee, mango and macadamia, among others.
Talks
Months ago, the Executive faced protests from garbage collectors for the regulations imposed for waste classification. The labor strike of that sector in the capital forced the Ministry of Environment to reverse the measures. There were also protests and blockages nationwide against mandatory insurance for all types of vehicles, so President Bernardo Arévalo decided to retract such regulations.