Form 1 reached 115 votes in favor and 28 against, with 17 deputies absent, and Rivera (Vamos) will remain in office for 2023-2024, which includes the general election in June.
They will accompany the deputy as first vice-president Boris Spain (all), the second, Sergio Arana (let’s go) and the third, Herbel Padilla (National Convergence Front).
The trustees will be Minor Mejia (Let’s Go), Marvin Alvarado (Good), Douglas Rivero (Human), Aníbal Rojas (Live) and Leopoldo Salazar (Value).
The second motion, from the opposition, and called for an alternative, won the approval of 24 members of Congress and had Bernardo Arevalo, of the Similla Caucus, as Rapporteur.
It included members of the latter party, Winac, the National Revolutionary Federation of Guatemala (Orange), the National Unity of Hope (dissidents) and Bién.
In his presentation, Arevalo argued that Figure 1 represented “more of the same, with the same and the same,” a play on words in reference to how little he has achieved in one year as head of the legislature.
“Zero initiatives devoted seriously to development, a 100 percent agenda dedicated to corruption and impunity, initiatives that unashamedly seek to dismantle controls and save Guatemala from the devastation into which the country has plunged,” he explained.
In his opinion, during Rivera’s presidency, “there was no agenda focused on the real needs of the population and development of the country, such as raising the basic food basket, putting an end to the insecurity and absolute and unbridled corruption of the public administration”.
Other MPs shared views such as Evelyn Murataya, who also asked the new board to worry more about what the country and the population are asking for.
With this in mind, he referred to the proposals for laws promoted by opposition groups, which have not been read even despite their positive opinions, such as those aimed at increasing pensioners’ income and salary bonuses among others.
Other criticisms of Rivera and his secretariat have included salvaging the meaning of the 2023 interrogations, due to take place every Thursday, and in practice a space that has not progressed this year despite several ministers being queued.
According to Carlos Rivera of the Victoria Party, his seat body voted against perpetuating the ruling coalition that today struck its political pact with the parties and MPs who supported it in order to approve the state budget for 2023.
L / mm
“Award-winning alcohol trailblazer. Hipster-friendly internetaholic. Twitter ninja. Infuriatingly humble beer lover. Pop culture nerd.”