Protestors set fire to Guatemala's parliament

Hundreds of Guatemalans set fire to Guatemala's parliament on Saturday to protest against the 2021 budget, an AFP journalist noted.

From the street you could see the flames inside the parliament, and the Guatemalan Red Cross was treating people intoxicated by smoke, according to a spokesperson for the organization, Andrés Lemus.

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Protesters demanded the departure of President Alejandro Giammattei, who they said was guilty of endorsing the controversial budget of nearly $ 13 billion, the largest in the country's history, voted in Congress.

Shortly before, the vice-president of Guatemala himself, Guillermo Castillo, had urged President Alejandro Giammattei to resign with him, for “

”, after the adoption in parliament of this budget which generates a significant debt.

"

," Guillermo Castillo said in a message to the nation, circulated through social networks and sent to reporters on the vice-presidency's WhatsApp group.

He assured to have told the president that “

”.

He also admitted not having a good relationship with the head of state.

Management of the criticized Covid epidemic

Different social groups had called a demonstration to demand the president's resignation.

The parliament, mostly made up of members of the ruling party and related parties, this week approved the controversial budget.

However, most of the funds go to infrastructure managed by entrepreneurs and neglect the fight against child poverty and malnutrition, which affects nearly half of children under five, which has sparked protests.

The management of the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic by Alejandro Giammattei, a 64-year-old doctor, has been severely criticized by his political opponents and sectors of society, denouncing in particular deficiencies in hospitals.