Portada LAW AND BUSINESS
by Marcos Ibargüen

Toward a Legislative Status Quo

This last year brought to Guatemala -in addition to a headache for lawmakers- more than a hundred and forty three decrees. In contrast with other years, a great portion of these decrees create or modify laws whose effects, hardly predictable at this time, will, no doubt, be transcendental in the economic, political, and social arenas.

This article gives a brief description of the following, which have been selected because of their importance or because of the effect they have on the economy and on Guatemalan business:

LAW ON SOLIDARITY, EXTRAORDINARY AND TEMPORARY TAXES AND EMMISSION OF BONDS BY THE ECONOMIC EMERGENCY TREASURY
STOCK AND MERCHANDISE MARKET LAW
PROBITY AND RESPONSIBILITY LAW
ELECTRICITY LAW
GENERAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS LAW
REFORMS TO THE ADDED VALUED TAX LAW
APPROVAL OF DECREE 169
REFORMS TO THE PENAL CODE
REFORMS TO THE PROTECTED AREAS LAW
PROMOTION OF DIFFUSION OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSCIOUSNESS LAW HOUSING AND HUMAN SETTLEMENTS LAW
TRAFFIC LAW
ADMINISTRATIVE CONTENTIOUS ISSUES LAW
TARIFF FOR LAWYERS, ARBITERS, MANDATARIES, JUDICIALS, EXPERTS, INTERVENTORS, AND DEPOSITARIES
MUNICIPAL EXCISE TAX LAW
LAW FOR THE EFFICIENT UTILIZATION AND COMMERCIALIZATION OF THE CHICLE TREE AND FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE CHICOZAPOTE TREE
LAW FOR THE PROMOTION OF TRANSPORTATION IN THE CAPITAL CITY AND IN URBAN INFLUENCE AREAS
FORESTRY LAW
REGULATORY LAW FOR THE REGISTRY, AUTHORIZATION, AND USE OF POWER SAWS

Some of these new laws and reforms, existing and yet to come, may have been necessary, and others will be more favorable. Let's hope that this era of legislative productivity is temporary and that, in the future, more is invested in their enforcement than in their reform or improvement. Not all of Guatemala's problems can be solved with the creation or reform of laws. Some problems are actually caused by excessive and disorganized legislation.

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Febrero, 1997