Guatemala's Colom decrees 5 percent minimum wage increase 'to protect the poor'

The Guatemalan president, Álvaro Colom, decreed a new minimum wage that means an average increase of 5 percent from January 1.

Colom said that the new minimum was decided on the basis of the state of the nation's economy. This year inflation was 6 percent.

Colom added that the aim of the new minimum is to protect the nation's economy, and in particular the poor, against the impact of the economic problems of the United States and Europe.

Original source (in Spanish): Efe