Proposed Reforms to Guatemala Constitution Revealed

Reducing the number of parliamentary representatives and allowing for a civilian to become Minister of National Defense are among the proposed amendments to the Constitution of Guatemala released here on Monday.

President Otto Perez Molina revealed that issues to be revised include the decrease of the 158 MPs at present to 140 and, when constitutional changes are called for, that they only be left to a National Constitutional Assembly, also with fewer members.

These issues fall within the axis of the political system proposed by the executive, and include modifications to strengthen indigenous peoples.

The latter are incorporated into the design of the text even though the president previously said it would be handled separately, in the fifth revision.

Although he had also promised that there would be changes to no more than 40 articles in the Basic Law, now there are estimated to be changes in 50 of them.

In regard to the one referring to the Guatemala National Army he stated that they will now be called security forces and thus include the National Civil Police (NCP).

It also aims to allow the military not only to safeguard border security, but to intervene internally when threats go beyond the NCP's capacity.

A reform in that area would allow a civilian to occupy the rank of minister of the military institution, which analysts say would improve political relations within the Government Cabinet and allow for an impact on decisions regarding the country's problems.

The president asked the groups promoting changes to the Electoral Law and Political Parties to discuss those presented by the Executive to agree on criteria and reach consensus.