100 days of Bernardo Arévalo’s government were completed and, in a public event, the president, his ministers, deputies and other allies of the government, the public and private sectors, participated in a protocol event outdoors, on 14th Street and 6th Street. . zone 1 avenue.
Between the front of the Enrique Gómez Carrillo park and the Ministry of the Interior, Arévalo had presented his government plan in the last campaign. Now, he decided to occupy the same place to report on his first 100 days of work.
According to Arévalo, “it has not been easy” and the biggest challenge they have encountered is the level of government corruption, which they are beginning to combat and of that count, 34 complaints have been filed.
The president also capitalizes as achievements the election of governors, which to date remains unconsolidated because even though the Departmental Development Councils (Codedes) have sent the shortlists, the appointments have not yet been made.
There Arévalo also highlighted as an achievement of his administration the complaint of Sputnik vaccines, which the Attorney General’s Office presented three weeks ago once morest the former Minister of Health, Amelia Flores, an investigation that has not yet reached other officials of the previous government, who They were also an important part in the business negotiations.
The purchases at La Aurora Airport and the construction of Bicentenario Schools were other corruption plots that, according to Arévalo, are complaints that represent an achievement of the 100 days of his administration.
The confrontation between the Executive and the Public Ministry was also part of the balance of the 100 days. Arévalo highlighted that “institutions that impartially investigate and punish those responsible for the assault on resources” are required.
He added: “Some actors, such as the Public Ministry of Consuelo Porras, use their position to intimidate their critics, and to attack and try to weaken, from their trench of impunity, the project that the people of Guatemala have chosen for their future.” According to the president, they will insist on the removal of Porras “through legal means” because “he threatens democracy.”
Security
The president highlighted as achievements the dismantling of 39 criminal structures, of which 22 were dedicated to extortion.
“The attack on extortion and other crimes has allowed a reduction in the homicide rate of 13 percent, compared to the same period in 2022 and 2023. In another way of looking at it, we have avoided the loss of 122 human lives so far this year,” he said.
Doubtful: The reduction in the homicide rate cannot be directly attributed to actions of the last 100 days, since it has been sustained since 2021, according to various think tanks that analyze the figures for homicidal violence in the country.
But yes, in February 2024, it stands out that homicides registered the lowest historical monthly figure. There were 156 homicides versus 227 in January of this year. The rate fell from 16.7 to 16.2 per 100 thousand.
Olympic sport
The president highlighted his intervention so that Olympic sport was once once more admitted to the International Olympic Committee.
“We made a consistent effort to put Guatemala’s name back in the world, with honor and dignity. Our efforts with the International Olympic Committee will allow our people to see their flag at the Paris Olympic Games carried with pride by our athletes,” stood out.
TRUE: Although the legal mess between two teams that disputed control of the Guatemalan Olympic Committee reached the Constitutional Court, it was never resolved in this way. It was during an official trip to Europe in which Bernardo Arévalo met with leaders of the International Olympic Committee and managed to lift the suspension of Guatemalan Olympic sport to participate in the Paris 2024 Games. The previous executive committee chaired by Gerardo Aguirre took over once more the power of national Olympic sports management.
Forest fires
In these 100 days of management, Arévalo identified as an achievement having fought forest fires in a more aggressive season than last year.
“We have faced one of the strongest fire seasons in the history of Guatemala,” he said.
The president recognized the work of the emergency institutions because “in these four months, our country has had 686 more fires than in the same period of 2023, an increase of 69%.”
TRUE: According to the report that includes fire records between 1999 and 2024, the 2023-2024 Forest Fire Season as of April 16 counted 1,550 fires, of which 1,174 have been reported as forest fires and 376 non-forest fires.
The departments with the highest record of incidents are Guatemala with 270 (149 forestry and 121 non-forestry); Quiché, 215 (188 forestry and 27 non-forestry); Huehuetenango, 148 (128 forestry and 20 non-forestry); Petén with 143 (114 forestry and 29 non-forestry) and Jalapa with 96 (79 forestry and 17 non-forestry).
Due to these circumstances, more than 18 thousand hectares are affected by the fires. Huehuetenango is the department with the highest number of affected hectares, with 7,955.
Health
The President of the Republic mentioned progress in the supply of hospitals, since at the beginning of his administration the stocks of medicines and supplies were at low levels, due to lack of payment to suppliers. The debt amounted to Q733 million. By March 20, 66% had already been paid, this allowed the dispatch of products to healthcare centers.
Doubtful: To date, the San Juan de Dios General Hospital, Santa Bárbara, Jutiapa and Federico Mora have not managed to reach an adequate stock level, according to statements by the Vice Minister of Hospitals, Linda Valencia, last Monday.
As a result of his management, Arévalo mentioned the “containment” of the Guillain-Barré outbreak, since since March 10, no more cases have been reported, totaling 87 and five deaths. In addition, to ensure medication for these patients.
Doubtful: To date, the authorities are not clear regarding what caused the outbreak of the acute neurological disease, although contaminated water is mentioned as one of the possible causes. Therefore, the Ministry of Health warned 18 municipalities of the places where they registered cases, to guarantee the quality of the resource.
On the other hand, the Guatemalan Social Security Institute (IGSS) lent 125 vials of immunoglobulins to public network hospitals that did not have the medication, which have not yet been returned.
EDUCATION
Bernardo Arévalo mentioned as one of the achievements of 100 days of government in the area of Education the replacement of the School Health Insurance – Q843 million was paid to the National Mortgage Credit (CHN) in four years – with the School Health Program, whose attention to More than 3.1 million students in the official sector must be covered by public health services.
Doubtful: There are more than 35 thousand consultations that have been attended to since the program was instituted on March 1, however, parents have indicated that attention in health services is limited and late, as they must wait several hours to be evaluated by a doctor. Also that there is a shortage of medicines, and that they leave with a prescription in hand, which does not solve their need. Furthermore, the budget that the Ministry of Health requires to implement the program has not been transferred.
Social development
Arévalo highlighted in his speech that “MIDES is formalizing the social registry of households, with which we are going to improve targeting and increase the effectiveness of social programs, eradicate clientelism and discretion, and reach the most vulnerable people in the country.” .
Doubtful: The national household registry was created with international support in 2021 in 21 prioritized municipalities as a pilot plan. In these first 100 days the portfolio institutionalized the initiative, but phases two and three are still pending development, which will add another 33 municipalities in total to obtain the socioeconomic data of the residents.
This is in order to maintain a list or catalog of local families for the implementation of different social programs or initiatives.
Cabinet and Congress
Arévalo highlighted that a cabinet was formed with the largest participation of women in the history of the country. Ministers and vice ministers today make important decisions for the people of Guatemala.
Doubtful: It is true that Arévalo’s cabinet is the one that includes the most women as holders of a portfolio. When the seven-woman cabinet was announced, but days before the inauguration, Anayté Guardado, who was appointed to Energy and Mines, declined from the position, and Victor Hugo Ventura was appointed in her place.
A few weeks ago, the Minister of the Environment, María José Iturbide, was also dismissed for improper use of state cars. Taking her place was Patricia Orantes, who requested leave from Congress to be absent from her seat to serve as minister.
Likewise, various laws that have been approved in Congress were highlighted. However, following 100 days the Executive has not sent this year’s budget expansion, which they insisted would be necessary.
On the other hand, derived from the forest and non-forest fires, the Council of Ministers decreed a State of Calamity, which was not approved by the deputies due to lack of consensus with the ruling party.
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