President requests reform to IGSS law

Guatemala's President has requested congress to reform the organic laws governing local social security agency IGSS, specifically in the area of managerial appointments, local daily Prensa Libre reported. Guatemala's constitutional court recently declared unconstitutional the appointment by President Alfonso Portillo of various IGSS executives. The appointments were deemed to undermine the autonomy of the IGSS and violate the legitimacy of the country's social security system. Portillo sent a letter Wednesday to the country's congress proposing an alteration to IGSS' current organic law that will grant IGSS's board full authority to elect future executives. The IGSS is currently under investigation following allegations of corruption surrounding certain executives.