CONAMIGUA officials seek re-election amid 49% budget increase

Raúl Berríos and Julio Lainfiesta are seeking to maintain their leadership positions at CONAMIGUA, the entity responsible for coordinating actions for Guatemalans living abroad. Berríos is pursuing a third consecutive term as Executive Secretary, while Lainfiesta is seeking to repeat his role as subsecretary for the 2026-2029 period.

Both officials are among 31 applicants currently being evaluated by the Migrants Commission of Congress. The Commission is tasked with selecting a shortlist of five candidates to be presented to the Plenary of Congress for final election.

The push for continuity comes as CONAMIGUA’s budget has seen significant growth. The institution’s budget rose from GTQ 65.2 million in 2024 to GTQ 97.2 million in 2026, representing an increase of approximately 49%. Current reports note that while the budget has expanded, there is a lack of available data regarding specific fulfilled goals, number of beneficiaries, or measurable impact resulting from this increased funding.