Guatemalan President Suspends Donation of 60% of His Salary

Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales announced Sunday on Facebook he had to suspend the donation of 60 percent of his salary “due to the current situation” — without further explanation.

OPINION:
New President, Old Problems: Guatemala Seeks to Turn the Page

“Today I want to share with you a difficult and personal decision, since the beginning of my term I've donated a minimum of 60 percent of my salary to charity, but because of the current situation and the cost it has represented so far, I had to temporarily suspend the donation,” he said.

The president of Guatemala receives a monthly wage of about US$19,000, while 8 out of 10 Guatemalans are "poor" — meaning they do not earn enough money to live in dignity — according to the latest Human Development report issued by the United Nations in October.

Guatemalans voted in former comedian Jimmy Morales in 2016 in the midst of widespread public frustration with the ruling political establishment after decades of government corruption and government impunity.

Jimmy Morales, referred to as the “Donald Trump of Guatemala,” deftly used the tax and customs corruption scandal known as “La Linea” involving the country’s main political parties and more than 100 government officials and business people who embezzled over US$120 million, and the consequent public outrage, to propel his ascent to the nation’s highest office.

A judge will be hearing former President Otto Perez Molina and his former Vice-President Roxana Baldetti, accused of embezzlement in the La Linea case, Monday morning to determine whether there is enough evidence for a formal trial.

IN DEPTH:
Guatemala: New President, Old Problems

But while President Morales liked to paint himself as an outsider and not tied to politics as usual, Morales has been linked to the same political, economic and military elite that have long had a stranglehold on power in the Central American country. His brother and older son are currently under investigation over corruption charges and banned from leaving the country. His brother was arrested on Jan. 18.

His National Convergence Front party was also founded by former members of the military tied to the human rights abuses during the military dictatorships.