Bill 6181 was introduced by the Executive Branch on January 13 and immediately referred to the National Defense Commission, which ruled in its favor on February 28.
On March 1, it made headway at first reading and continued on its favorable stance last week, but not without harsh criticism from opposition MPs.
For Bernardo Arévalo, presidential candidate in the upcoming elections for the seed bank, the decree passed contains an unnecessary and populist measure.
“We do not now face a problem of lack of legal tools to prosecute the crime of stealing electrical fluids; In fact, the legislation already includes it in the penal code, in Article 249,” he assured during the debate.
In his opinion, this is an attempt during the election campaign to distract attention and to draw attention to the criminalization of the “victims of the lousy power grid,” he emphasized.
“Users abused by the electricity company will be punished, this law is repressive in nature, what may come is the repression of people who defend their rights before the distributor,” criticized Walter Félix of Unidad Guatemalan National Revolutionary (URNG- Maiz)»
For her part, MP Vicenta Jerónimo of the Movement for the Liberation of Peoples believed that the law violated the rights of the population, organizations and community members.
In his justification, he emphasized that this decree “benefits Mafia-like businessmen who plunder cities every day”.
“Let’s hope that the people will judge the MPs and MPs who are the spokespersons for this initiative, because there will come a time when people will judge us by our actions here in Congress,” he said.
“Hopefully river diversion will be included,” a topic that should worry congressmen who are spokespersons for the initiative, ironically quipped Osmundo Ponce, also of the URNG Maiz party.
Ponce insisted the law was aimed solely at one social organization, the Comité de Desarrollo Campesino (Codeca), which accused the state and companies of “energy thieves” without considering their claims.
If it’s an individual, the penalties could range from two to four years in prison and a fine of 10,000 quetzales ($1,315), but if those who act are part of an organized crime group or criminal organization, the penalty ranges from four and eight years, and the penalty increased to 100,000 quetzales ($13,157), it was revealed.
In addition, the term “attack on the security of services” is added in an addendum change.
jha/mmc