Guatemala’s President Bernardo Arévalo announced today a reduction in his salary as part of the summary report of the first days of his government management.
In his profile on social network X, the president stressed that it is 25 percent, while the Executive’s website specified about savings of more than 1.5 million quetzales (almost $200,000) at the end of the period in office.
Comply, reduce privileges and serve the people: it is our commitment, stressed the head of state after intervening in a public event, in which he detailed the results of the administration since 14 January.
On a central avenue of the capital, in the same place where more than a year ago as the leader of the Seed Movement he spread his plan, Arévalo renewed his will to serve Guatemalans.
These 100 days are just the beginning of a long process of change, renewal and progress towards a prosperous Guatemala, the 65-year-old politician, sociologist by profession, writer and ex-diploma.
One of the priorities has been to ensure peace and security, he detailed, adding in this regard that they deployed the entire police force against crime, especially against the scourge of extortion.
The effort made made it possible to dismantle 39 structures, of which 22 were dedicated to the latter crime, he described.
We captured more than 518 alleged extortionists, who have been brought to justice, the former deputy said.
The attack on this problem and other crimes allowed a 13 percent reduction in the homicide rate, compared to the same period in 2023, he said.
In another way of looking at it, he added, we avoid the loss of 122 human lives so far this year.
“Little by little, but consistently, we are building a safer country, in peace,” the President of Guatemala said in his speech.
It meant another achievement, which at this time brought tranquillity to the families affected by the conflict between the municipalities of Nahualá and Santa Catarina Ixtahuacán, department of Sololá.
He referred to more than 125 days without attacks between these communities and that for the first time in many years, the period of planting corn, beans and pumpkins was not lived under the shade and embezzle of violence in that area.
In another order, he mentioned the effort to put Guatemala’s name back on the world.
Arévalo, together with Vice President Karin Herrera, began her mandate focused on combating corruption, crime (the end of extortion from prisons), strengthening the Executive and recovering the chapina economy.
This article has been translated from the original which first appeared in El Pais