Guatemala: the "bean revolution" against the 2021 budget is gaining momentum
A demonstrator with a banner "Resign, Giammatei", in reference to the president in power, parades in the streets of Guatemala, November 24, 2020. AFP - JOHAN ORDONEZ
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
The Guatemalans were still demonstrating this weekend, while the authorities have until Monday, November 30 to vote on a new budget.
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With our correspondent in Mexico,
Alix Hardy
Protesters dubbed their movement "
the bean revolution
" in response to a majority MP who dismissively called them "
bean eaters
", the region's staple food.
This class contempt is symptomatic of the attitude of the authorities, who have been using power to serve their interests to the detriment of the population for years, denounce the opponents.
The draft budget for the year 2021 triggered the anger of citizens because it provided for budget cuts in health, education or justice but devoted additional resources to the expenses of mouth of the deputies.
Under pressure from the streets, the president suspended him and called for dialogue.
Protesters demand the president's departure
The vote on a budget so indifferent to the country's situation was the straw that broke the camel's back.
In Guatemala, 60% of the population lives below the poverty line.
This month,
a double cyclone affected nearly a million people in the country.
The demonstrations, largely peaceful, however, testify to a great accumulated anger, as shown in
these symbolic images of the Guatemalan Parliament in flames
after being set on fire last week by a group of demonstrators.
More than a new budget, the protesters
are now calling for the resignation of President Giammattei
and of Parliament for negligence and corruption.
This is a new social explosion in a country which denounces the total control of corruption on its political apparatus for three terms.
The president, on the other hand, sent the police to suppress demonstrations and denounced an attempt to destabilize democracy.
► Read also: Guatemala: serious political crisis in the midst of the coronavirus epidemic
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Guatemala
Alejandro Giammattei
Social issues
Corruption
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