Guatemala suspends budget after protesters torch Congress building
- New spending plan paused to ‘maintain governability of the country and social peace’
- Anger over business-friendly budget and lack of resources for battling coronavirus pandemic prompted demonstrators’ demands for president’s resignation
Guatemala’s parliament on Monday backed away from approving a business-friendly 2021 budget after demonstrators in the impoverished Central American nation torched the Congress building and demanded the resignation of President Alejandro Giammattei in weekend protests.
Widespread indignation against Giammattei’s administration and Congress have been caused by a lack of resources for battling the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the new spending plan.
“In order to maintain the governability of the country and social peace, we have agreed to suspend the processing of the budget,” said Congress president Allan Rodriguez.
The suspension would create “space for discussion of the country’s governance”, he said.
The country’s only state-run university, the University of San Carlos, had earlier called for a national strike on Monday.