Court suspends Guatemala’s 2024 budget law

Four Supreme Court justices, to one, upheld the granting of temporary protection requested by Pro Bienestar del Minusválido and Edgar Benjamin Toy, a representative of indigenous authorities.

The Constitutional Committee indicated that the report was sent to the Ministries of Finance, Health and Social Assistance, the Attorney General’s Office and human rights lawyers.

Also to the Public Prosecution, through the Prosecutor’s Office for Constitutional Affairs, Law Enforcement and Personal Exposure, because funds have not been allocated to complainants as in previous years.

At the end of the previous month, the unicameral Congress had approved the budget on a rushed day, and two days later called a special session to discuss, among other matters, the constitutional objections raised by the Semilla and Winak movement groups. Concerts.

But the legislature’s plenary session dismissed the questions and left the final decision in Giamatti’s hands, amid multiple requests for him to veto it.

Among the issues raised in the budget, the way it was approved on November 30 stood out, as votes were not taken on each article, but on the titles, as Semela and Winak confirmed.

The amendments that were approved at the last minute were not read in full, so representatives selected them without knowing their content, in addition to the discretionary allocation of funds for newly established non-governmental organizations, and they expanded.

Through a statement addressed to lawmakers, Giammattei and the people, President-elect Bernardo Arevalo described the document, which is supported by the ruling party and groups allied with it, as ridiculous, corrupt and ineffective.

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Despite the demands, Giamatti signed the decree-law on the 15th of this month, in the amount of 124,879 million and 970,000 quetzals (approximately $16 billion), which is a historical record, which despite increases year after year – according to experts – non-transparent implementation.

The party that won the election was analyzing a legal appeal to the Central Committee against the budget, according to Arevalo and representative-elect Jonathan Mincus confirmed to the press.

He added that the goal is to declare the materials that we discover to be in violation of various laws in the country as violating the legal framework.

He indicated that this will be introduced when the 2024 Budget Law enters into force.

He stated that in addition to the legal procedures, they are preparing a proposal to make amendments to the document, which they believe the new legislative council should be among the issues that should be addressed as a priority.

NBG/Zn

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