Analyst Warns Q20 Billion in Public Funds at Risk of Being Used for Electoral Campaigns

Guatemala City, Guatemala – Analyst Cristhians Castillo has raised serious concerns regarding the management of public funds, particularly the transfer of unexecuted budgets from one fiscal year to the next. According to Castillo, approximately Q13 billion (Thirteen Billion Quetzales) in unspent funds from 2024 have been rolled over into the 2025 budget, a move approved by congressional deputies. Castillo, speaking on Canal Antigua's program "Destino," warned that if these funds continue to go unexecuted, the cumulative amount could reach Q20 billion (Twenty Billion Quetzales) by 2026 or 2027. He expressed strong apprehension that such a substantial sum might not be utilized for its intended public purposes but could instead be diverted to finance electoral campaigns for district deputies and mayoral candidates. "We are going to reach Q20 billion that will disappear and be executed with an emphasis on electoral campaigns," Castillo stated, questioning the rationale behind the Congress of the Republic's actions. He emphasized the need for transparency and proper execution of public funds to prevent their potential misuse for political gain.