Capítulo III. Campo de aplicacion

All the inhabitants of Guatemala who are an active part of the process of production of goods or services are obliged to contribute to the support of the social security regime in proportion to their income and have the right to receive benefits for themselves or for their family members who depend economically on them, in the extent and quality of such benefits that are compatible with the minimum of protection that social interest and stability require to be granted to them.

In order to put into practice the final objective ordered in the preceding paragraph, the Institute enjoys a broad freedom of action to gradually include within its regime the population of Guatemala, in accordance with the following rules:

a). It must always take into account the social and economic circumstances of the country, the conditions, standard of living, methods of production, customs and other similar factors proper to each region, and the characteristics, needs and possibilities of the various classes of activities;

b). It must begin only with the working class and, within it, with the groups that are economically favorable by reason of their greater concentration in a determined territory; by their urban character, in preference to the rural; by their higher degree of literacy; by their greater contributive capacity; by the greater and better means of communication, and medical and hospital resources available or that may be created in each zone of the country; by offering greater administrative facilities, and for the other technical reasons that are applicable;

c). It must endeavor to extend to the entire working class, in the whole national territory, before including other sectors of the population within its regime; and,

d). The regulations must determine the order, methods and plans to be followed in order to correctly apply the principles contained in this article.