GUATEMALA CITY – The Guatemalan government said Sunday that it asked the Organization of American States (OAS) to start a discussion with “several political forces” after a major protest against the 2021 budget cuts that have turned violent.
Thousands more took to the streets of Guatemala’s capital on Saturday to urge President Alejandro Giammattei to veto the 2021 budget, which will cut investment in physical care, education and human rights as the country deals with the aftermath of two primary storms and COVID. 19.
Most of the protesters demonstrated peacefully, but one organization set fire to congressional internal halls and others clashed with police, who used tear fuel to burn the crowd. Thirty-six others were arrested and at least a dozen more were taken to hospitals to remedy injuries.
“The president expresses his greatest openness to an inclusive discussion that allows among all sectors of national life,” the Guatemalan government said in a statement.
He said the government was implementing measures that would “promote discussion among political forces. “
Guatemala’s call for OAS’ assistance to the Inter-American Democratic Charter (IDC) came after the organization convened a discussion on the 2021 budget that would take into account the COVID-19 crisis and two recent hurricanes.
The government claimed that violence was not a valid form of expression and that it had left the government “no other way than to address the foreign community.
The organization of countries and establishments of the G13 that provide aid to Guatemala, adding the United States, requested an investigation into the events of Saturday (Report through Sofia Menchu, written through Daina Beth Solomon; edited through Ana Nicolaci da Costa ).
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