On November 21, 2020, protests began in Guatemala City and several other parts of the country in response to the passing of a controversial budget bill by Congress in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and the aftermath of Hurricanes Eta and Iota.
More than 7,000 protesters gathered in the capital city to demonstrate against the bill, which included cuts to education and health spending and increased funding for meals and expenses for lawmakers.
During the protests in Guatemala City, social media reports showed a fire burning inside a window of the National Congress building.
[1][2] At the time of the protests, Guatemala was dealing with the effects of Hurricanes Eta and Iota, back-to-back storms that brought torrential rains to the country, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
[1] The bill also increased the legislator's stipend for meals and expenses while cutting $25 million from the budget earmarked to fight malnutrition in the country.
Uniformed police officers stood by as protesters climbed the front of the National Congress building, broke windows, and threw in incendiary devices.