Global Courant 2023-04-18 16:00:52
The Congress of the Republic approved in October Decree 51-2022, Temporary Law of Comprehensive Development that guarantees a payment of Q36 thousand for each person who has provided at least 18 months of military services during the internal armed conflict.
The project includes four portfolios. In addition to Mides, there are the ministries of Environment and Natural Resources (Marn), National Defense (Mindef) and Public Finance (Minfin).
In order for the payment to be effective, they must carry out different activities in the Marn. The disbursements will be Q1,000 per month for three years, as approved by 99 legislators who voted in favor, compared to 15 who voted against. The remaining 46 were absent.
Mides counts 33 thousand registered
The last day to present the registration form was April 10, until that day the Mides counted 33 thousand registered people. The updated data was requested; however, it was not provided.
To enter the program, you must go through a registration and validation process that consists of submitting the documentation to the Social Development portfolio within 10 business days after requesting the form.
Then, the File Review Commission will verify the information and that it meets the requirements for the process to continue.
Marvin Flores, an analyst for Acción Ciudadana, questioned the ability of the ministries and the State to carry out this verification. “I do not believe that the State or any institution, not even the Mindef, have the capacity to verify that they were really providing this military service,” he asserted.
Due to the parallel structures that existed within the Army, the analyst doubts that there is a reliable record even in the military portfolio. “I believe that there should be a registry, but I do not think it is the best or the most up-to-date because the internal armed conflict ended many years ago, I believe that many people who are looking for the benefit did not even provide that service,” he said. Flowers.
To complete the process, the admission form, a photocopy of the personal identification document (DPI), proof of completed service time issued by the Ministry of Defense and, if applicable, the certificate of disability issued by national hospitals or health centers, are requested. health. The interested party to participate must have provided such service for 18 months or more.
In the event that the enrollee dies after being accepted into the program, the spouse can participate, after presenting the death certificate issued by the National Registry of Persons (Renap) in the next 15 days after the death, certified de facto union or marriage and photocopy of DPI.
For Luis Linares, an analyst at the Association for Research and Social Studies (Asies), the challenges for compliance with the Law have several edges that range from corroborating that those registered have actually provided the service, that the registration is not subject to cronyism or clientelism and that the projects established by the Marn are fulfilled.
First disbursement rose to more than Q3 thousand
The first payment was disbursed on March 21 to three thousand 299 beneficiaries, each one was given the first Q1 thousand. That is to say, that Q3 million 299 thousand of the budget have already been used.
With the 33 thousand people registered, the amount to be executed will be Q1 thousand 188 million in 36 months. According to the regulations of the Law, the budget will be executed by the Social Development Fund (Fodes), a dependency of Mides.
The Minfin must transfer the amount required monthly according to the reports of the people who have complied with the required actions.
In accordance with the regulations, only those who have participated in the activities created by the Marn Projects Unit will be paid. The Coordination Office of the same institution will verify the compliance and participation of the program members, with the support of Mides and Mindef.
The environmental portfolio reported that there are three types of projects that have been developed so far, related to reforestation on state lands; solid waste sorting and recycling; and environmental education, the latter is currently underway. However, the Marn did not specify these projects or the locations where they have been developed.
Additionally, in February 3,460 people were trained on good environmental practices, in March there were 14,275 and in April it is expected to train 21,628 more on recycling and solid waste.
Regarding the methods to verify that the ex-military will participate actively, the Marn commented that a monthly report will be presented to the Mides.
Flores pointed out that there is also no capacity to verify that people are carrying out the assigned work, and agreed with Linares on the similarities that this project has with the Forests and Water for Harmony Program created during the Óscar Berger government in which was difficult to verify reforestation.
The analysts also highlighted that the money that the resources of this program could have used for other more profitable objectives for the country.
The amount to accrue plus administrative expenses “is an amount that the State cannot afford to stone,” Linares said.
Flores added that the program becomes a burden for the State and for the budget and classified it as an “electoral piñata in an election year” and “a waste of State resources that is being carried out purely for political clientelism.”
Approval after blocks
The approval of the law occurred in a context of various protests and blockades by ex-military personnel who demanded different laws that would benefit them monetarily. While the plenary session was taking place where the initiative was known, in front of the Legislative Palace a group threatened “serious problems” if the other initiative that contemplated a payment of Q120 thousand per person was not approved.
According to Linares, this is a group to which offers were made in order to have them as allies and to respond to an eventual call for demonstrations and to vote for the official party.
For this reason, I request more responsibility when making offers “because later they cannot resist the pressures made by such groups as the blockades.”
