Protests in Antigua Guatemala against Jimmy Morales administration

A few days before the celebrations of Independence Day on September 15th, the President of Guatemala, Jimmy Morales and/or the Vice President, Jafeth Cabrera Franco, were scheduled for an appearance at one of the many events, so it was no surprise that there was a small but vociferous manifestation outside the Real Palacio de los Capitanes to declare Jimmy Morales a Persona Non-Grata as well as the army. This was before the political fiasco of last week where the Congress of Guatemala upheld the president’s immunity to face trial and to stop Guatemala’s General Attorney Thelma Aldana from continuing the investigation into the illicit political funding to took mister Morales to the presidency seat.

The people of Guatemala said ¡Basta! Enough is enough to the corruption of the current administration in the executive branch as well as in the legislative branch. President Jimmy Morales was forced to return an illegal bonus of Q450,000 that he had been receiving from the army in monthly installments of Q50,000. Congress was forced to retract changes to the law that were voted by a majority trying to protect the political parties that have received illicit funding as well as to soften sentences or allow to pay in order to avoid jail time for those convicted of crimes.

This is a new Guatemala where people hit the streets to protest and create incredible pressure through social media and mass media channels. This is a new Guatemala where a former president and vice-president are in jail awaiting trials as well many municipality majors accused of corruption and embezzlements.

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