Guatemalan government bets on the well-being of its citizens
By María Josefina Arce
When Bernardo Arévalo assumed the presidency of Guatemala last January, he found an extremely unequal country in which poverty reached more than 55% of the population, especially those living in rural areas.
And although these months of government have not been easy due to the political persecution of Arévalo and his Semilla party by the Public Ministry, the president, together with his executive, has developed a strategy to combat this scourge.
One of his priorities has been to pay attention to the living and working conditions of the peasantry, an essential sector to guarantee the basic food basket of Guatemalan families, who are facing serious difficulties due to rising prices.
During these months, the President has met with producers to address the problems of rural communities. During these meetings, proposals for local development, the rural economy and the agricultural situation of the Central American nation were discussed.
Following the approval of a budget increase in Congress, the government announced two measures that will benefit agricultural producers and reduce the cost of living.
Following the approval of a budget increase in Congress, the government announced two measures that will benefit agricultural producers and reduce the cost of living.
In recent days, one of these initiatives, the Bono Campesino, was launched in the municipality of Sololá, in the department of the same name, which the government will extend to all rural communities in the Central American country.
The program includes the provision of inputs such as fertilizers, seeds and agricultural tools.
Another initiative, Bono Productivo, provides preferential loans to farmers to improve their working conditions.
Last July, the authorities also began distributing a single voucher to Guatemalan families living in poverty and extreme poverty.
The actions of the government led by Bernardo Arévalo demonstrate its commitment to the fight against poverty and for the food security and well-being of the Guatemalan people, even in the midst of an adverse scenario due to political persecution by the Guatemalan Attorney General's Office.
