The FMLN, ARENA, PDC and PCN already say they are on the verge of 56 votes to overcome President Bukele’s rejections to raise the pension from $ 207 to $ 304 a month.
President Nayib Bukele sent four vetoing decrees to the Legislative Assembly, including the $ 125 million funding of a $ 250 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to raise the minimum pension, the president said. of the Assembly, Mario Ponce, of the PCN, in plenary.
Bukele bases his veto on the fact that the loan with the IDB was originally authorized to “support the efforts and actions of the Government of the Republic to curb the health crisis caused by COVID-19 and the country’s economic recovery”, despite the government having already used more than $ 1 billion of the $ 2 billion authorized by the Assembly to combat the pandemic.
FMLN Representative Anabel Belloso explained that the minimum pension increase should be implemented from January 14, but due to the veto, this will not be possible, which she described as “irresponsible” on the part of the government. that there is an “imbalance” in the 2021 budget.
“I would venture to say that there are no solid arguments to support unconstitutionality,” so they will analyze the rationale given by the Executive to overcome the veto, Belloso emphasized, as it affects 120,000 retirees who should receive the benefit he himself.
SEE ALSO: Assembly Approves Budget for 2021 with Minimum Pension Increase to $ 304 Per Month
Another decree rejected by Bukele is a reorientation of funds approved by MPs from another $ 50 million loan at the IDB to allow mayors to develop municipal projects.
In principle, this debt was destined by the government to “partially repay the funds from the general state budget, used to compensate for the $ 300 provided to people with no employment relationship or permanent income, who have been economically affected by quarantine in their homes.” for said pandemic, ”is part of the presidential veto.
According to Bukele, Decree 800 to grant funds to the mayors for municipal works is “unconstitutional” because it has “content and form flaws”.
Bukele’s right of veto states that the budget cannot be altered by omissions in the preparation and approval of the needs to meet it.
“Changing the budget individually and without consulting the executive is detrimental to safeguarding the fundamental rights already analyzed by the executive, which are priorities, which are the reason for the existence of the state itself, because of interests or actions that they try to cover themselves with clothes of general interest, but they have an individualistic advantage for a political sector and specific people, because partisan ends for the members of this sector, ”the president said.
SEE ALSO: President Bukele will issue a veto that increases minimum pension to $ 304, Treasury Secretary says
The President also vetoed a temporary provision that would allow updating up to an optional 50% of the resources allocated to the municipalities through Decrees 650 and 728; and Decree 795 reforming the electoral law.
Last Wednesday, Bukele expired the eight working days that the law allowed him to send the decrees he announced would veto.
Finance Minister Alejandro Zelaya reported a few days ago that decrees 800 and 803 that are part of the financing of next year’s general state budget would be rejected by the president.
Cristina Cornejo, of the FMLN, explained that the four vetoes Bukele sent are “unconstitutional”, that is, they should cause controversy in the Constitutional Chamber.
To increase the minimum pension, the Assembly approved the reallocation of funds from a loan with the IDB for $ 125 million.
The delegates wondered that Bukele always sent vetoes right up to the last minute; however, they hinted that they will be overcome by a qualified majority of the alternates.
“ It is common for me to send them last minute, about the basic pension that we will accompany to overcome and overcome the vetoes, we know that the pension is vital, especially for the poorest and most unprotected people, we would accompany the overcoming of the veto We only know at the last minute why he is sending it, ”explains Reynaldo Cardoza of the PCN.
READ ALSO: Finance Minister dodges to go to Assembly to express an opinion due to controversy in decree to pay Fodes to mayors
Schafik Hándal, of the FMLN, said that if Bukele had not sent the veto yesterday, it was understood that he accepted it. “The law states that administrative silence is a sign of approval,” he explained.
Previously, Víctor Hugo Suazo, of the FMLN, confirmed that Bukele’s delay in sending the veto to fund the minimum pension is that he cannot find where to get the money to pay it.
Bukele refuses to withdraw money from the loan originally approved by the Assembly to deal with the pandemic, despite having already used more than half of the $ 2 billion allocated to COVID-19 as debt .
“We are ready to overcome the veto to increase the minimum pension for retirees, an issue that the Assembly had guaranteed and envisioned in terms of cuts and publicity, what more can I say, it is a decree from which all retirees benefit” Cornejo.
Patricia Valdivieso, of ARENA, assured that in her case “we would certainly be willing to overcome the vetoes.”
Rodolfo Parker, of the PDC, said they will overcome anything to do with completing the law-making process.
“How can we not overcome the veto so that instead of a $ 207 minimum pension, retirees go to a $ 304 pension,” said Parker.