Guatemala

Congress of the Republic

Political system
Presidential system
Structure of parliament
Unicameral
IPU membership
Yes

Openness and transparency

Information about access to parliamentary documents, parliament’s reporting to the public, parliament’s relation to Freedom of Information laws, and lobbying.

Parliamentary documents

The agendas of plenary meetings are published online in advance
Some
The agendas of committee meetings are published online in advance
Some
Results of votes on draft legislation are published on the parliamentary web site
All
Draft legislation is published on the parliamentary website
All
Citizens can submit comments on draft legislation on the parliamentary web site
Yes

Annual reporting by parliament

Parliament publishes an annual report on its activities
No
The annual report is available on the parliamentary web site
No
Parliament publishes the parliamentary budget
Yes
Level of detail of the parliamentary budget made available to the public
The complete budget
The parliamentary budget is available on the parliamentary web site
Yes

Access to parliament

Plenary meetings are open to the public
Yes

Notes: Authorization to access plenary sessions must be requested as there are limitations on the number of people admitted due to Covid-19 and available space.

Committee meetings are open to the public
Yes

Notes: Capacity restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic

There is a dedicated channel for broadcasting parliamentary meetings
Yes
Media used for the dedicated channel
TV
Radio
Webcast
Meetings broadcast on the dedicated channel
Plenary sittings
Committee meetings

Freedom of information

There is a freedom of information law in the country
Yes
Parliament is subject to the freedom of information law
Yes
Parliament has an office/division dedicated to FOI requests
Yes
Categories of Information that are exempt from disclosure

2008 Law for Free Access to Public Information

http://www.freedominfo.org/documents/Guatemalalaw_decreto_57-2008.pdf

Sensitive data or sensitive personal data: those data that refer to the physical or moral characteristics of people or to facts or circumstances of their private life or activity such as personal habits, racial origin, ethnic origin, ideologies and political opinions, religious beliefs or convictions, physical or mental states of health, preference or sexual life, moral and family situation or other intimate situations of a similar nature.

Confidential information: as established by law, it is all the information in the possession of the subjects that by constitutional mandate, or express provision of a law has restricted access, or has been delivered by individuals or legal entities under a guarantee of confidentiality.

National security: all those matters that are part of the State policy to preserve the physical integrity of the nation and its territory in order to protect all the elements that make up the State from any aggression produced by belligerent foreign or national groups and those who they refer to the survival of the Nation-State against other States.

Lobbying

There are rules about the activities of lobbyists in parliament
No
There is a register of accredited lobbyists
No

Historical data for IPU membership

Historical data for IPU membership
Year IPU membership
2020-09
List of values for 2020-09
No
2019-04
List of values for 2019-04
No
2018-06
List of values for 2018-06
No