Members of Guatemala’s Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches participated in a high-level meeting on Thursday, September 25, to discuss public policies for the protection of life and the institution of the family.
The meeting was held at the Museum of the University of San Carlos (MUSAC) and was attended by international experts and officials from the Ministries of Education and Social Development, the Secretariat of Social Welfare, the National Literacy Council, magistrates from the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court of Justice, and the Courts of Appeals, as well as parliamentarians and members of the Public Ministry. Representatives of social organizations and religious institutions also participated.
“We organized this event for decision-makers, and we were joined by representatives of different branches of government to discuss two pillars of Guatemala that have constitutional status: our Constitution protects life from conception and the family as a fundamental institution for the development of the nation,” explained Congressman Ronald Portillo, one of the initiative’s promoters.
The event is part of the Encounter for Religious Freedom, Life, and Family, organized by the Parliamentary Front for Religious Freedom, the Family Matters Association (AFI – Asociación la Familia Importa), and the Political Network for Values (PNfV), which brought together parliamentarians from eight political blocs and leaders from various social organizations at the Congress of the Republic on September 24.
Congressman Rodrigo Pellecer, president of the Parliamentary Front for Religious Freedom, pointed out that Guatemala has a Public Policy for the Protection of Life and Family Institutions, in force until 2032, whose implementation requires greater coordination between the three branches of government.
Valerie Huber, president of the Institute for Women’s Health and promoter of the Geneva Consensus, stated that the Public Policy for the Protection of Life and Family Institutions, whose initial results were robust and encouraging, is already a model for other countries.
She noted that “nations can advance in health and development without renouncing the values of their people, their constitutional principles, and their sovereignty. Guatemala has already shown that this is possible.”
Among the authorities present, the Deputy Minister of Social Protection, Bertha Zapeta, presented a brief report on the progress her ministry has made in implementing this public policy and detailed the scope of some programs that focus on caring for life and supporting the most vulnerable families.
René Guillermo Girón Palacios, a magistrate of the Supreme Court of Justice, discussed the difficulties faced by the judiciary in upholding national laws and constitutional order in the face of frequent pressure from international organizations.
Ligia Briz, executive director of AFI, emphasized that the Public Policy for the Protection of Life and Family Institutions is a state policy that was created with the participation of civil society and that faithfully adheres to constitutional norms.
Along the same lines, Rodrigo Iván Cortés, vice president of PNfV, said that when citizens participate in the development of public policies, they can more effectively guarantee respect for their culture and values: “By safeguarding life and the family, we build peace, lay a firm foundation for development, and exercise a democracy that links representatives and those they represent.”
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