Caribbean & Central America
Caribbean & Central America - November 2024
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- Introduction
Central America
- GUATEMALA: Judicial election draws concern
- EL SALVADOR: New supreme court appointments raise eyebrows
- HONDURAS: Killing of prominent activist reignites familiar concerns
- NICARAGUA: Spain offers citizenship to Nicaraguans stripped of nationality
- NICARAGUA: Record remittances driving economy but long-term risks remain
- COSTA RICA: US cooperation boosting semiconductor industry
Caribbean
- HAITI: Reality and rhetoric far apart
- REGION: Stepping up the struggle against sargassum
- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Back to the drawing board
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights
The recent election of Guatemala’s 13-member supreme court (CSJ) and 156 appellate court judges for five-year terms has failed to provide much optimism regarding the prospects for anti-corruption reformist President Bernardo Arévalo, in terms of delivering on his election-winning pledge to dismantle the so-called ‘pacto de corruptos’ network of institutional corruption, as the first piece in this November 2024 edition of the Latin American Regional Report: Caribbean & Central America explores.
Caribbean & Central America - October 2024
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- Introduction
Central America
- HONDURAS: Honduras-US ties fray amid drug trafficking accusations
- EL SALVADOR: Turkish firm agrees US$1.6bn port investment
- PANAMA: Mulino’s plans for social security reform
- PANAMA: Mulino’s hard line on immigrants faces big challenges
- REGION: Coca cultivation on the rise
Caribbean
- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Abinader to use strong mandate to push constitutional reform
- SURINAME: Pioneering carbon credit scheme faces challenges
- GUYANA: Blistering rate of growth in the first half
- TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: Making the case for constitutional reform
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights
The first piece in this October 2024 edition of the Latin American Regional Report: Caribbean & Central America begins with a look at the strained state of relations between Honduras and the US.
Caribbean & Central America - September 2024
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- Introduction
Central America
- NICARAGUA: Scaling up attacks on the Catholic Church
- COSTA RICA: Disruption of migrant trafficking network reveals challenges
- EL SALVADOR: NGOs launch registry of disappeared
- GUATEMALA: Moving on a key pledge
- CENTRAL AMERICA: FDI inflows record year-on-year increase
- HONDURAS: Relations with China progressing amid scepticism from private sector
Caribbean
- CUBA: Tightening restrictions on private sector amid ‘wartime economy’
- REGION: Gang violence focus of Caricom heads of government meeting
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights
The first piece in this September 2024 edition of the Latin American Regional Report: Caribbean & Central America begins in Nicaragua where a local human rights NGO, Colectivo de Derechos Humanos Nicaragua Nunca Más (CDHNN+), warned last month of an escalation of repression hitherto not seen this year by the authoritarian government led by President Daniel Ortega targeting the Catholic Church – a lone voice of dissent.
Caribbean & Central America - August 2024
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- Introduction
CENTRAL AMERICA
- PANAMA: Mulino’s initial moves raise eyebrows
- NICARAGUA: US slams Ortega gov’t over illegal migration
- GUATEMALA: Murder of union leader reignites familiar concerns
- HONDURAS: Proposed prison draws criticism
- EL SALVADOR: Bukele announces efforts to address high prices
- PANAMA: Mulino plots economic course
CARIBBEAN
- GUYANA: Opposition struggling for unity with elections in sight
- REGION: Clear focus for investment needs at CIF 2024
- REGION: Will Beryl help region better prepare for hurricanes?
- BARBADOS: Third IMF review goes well
ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS
- Economic Highlights
Since being sworn in for a five-year term on 1 July, Panama’s new right-of-centre President José Raúl Mulino has moved on his key campaign pledge to reduce illegal migration through the Darién Gap, a roadless expanse of jungle on Panama’s border with Colombia, efforts for which he has received US backing, as the first piece in this August 2024 edition of the Latin American Regional Report: Caribbean & Central America considers.
Caribbean & Central America - July 2024
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- Introduction
Central America
- HONDURAS: Gov’t declares climate emergency
- EL SALVADOR: Rowing back on transitional justice
- NICARAGUA: More efforts to stamp out dissent
- PANAMA: First climate change migrants
- GUATEMALA: Seeking to attract investment in the face of logistics crisis
- COSTA RICA: Poverty down but inequality persists
Caribbean
- HAITI: Mission impossible
- REGION: Jet Air declares bankruptcy
- REGION: Could SIDS shake up Caribbean finances?
- ANTIGUA & BARBUDA: Debt is still the thing
- CARIBBEAN POINTERS
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights
In late May Honduras’ government declared a climate emergency, aimed at defending protected areas and water production zones.
Caribbean & Central America - June 2024
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- Introduction
Central America
- PANAMA: Doubts over president-elect’s pledges
- GUATEMALA: Arévalo touts progress in 100-day balance sheet, key pledge is pending
- NICARAGUA: Drawing closer to Moscow
- EL SALVADOR: Ratings agency upgrade masks economic concerns
- REGION: El Niño highlights electricity supply issues
Caribbean
- HAITI: Health system’s collapse latest symptom of state failure
- JAMAICA: Government and opposition at odds over reform process
- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Abinader re-election points to economic reforms
- BELIZE: IMF highlights need to entrench debt sustainability
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights
José Raúl Mulino, who served as Panama’s interior and security minister under right-wing former president Ricardo Martinelli (Cambio Democrático, CD, 2009-2014), won the 5 May presidential elections for Martinelli’s new outfit Realizando Metas.
Caribbean & Central America - May 2024
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- Introduction
Central America
- EL SALVADOR: State of exception passes two-year mark
- REGION: Wildfires draw concern
- HONDURAS: Authorities claim coca eradication progress
- NICARAGUA: Purge of judiciary continues
- GUATEMALA/REGION: Mine dispute symptomatic of uncertainty
- COSTA RICA: Exporters complain about currency appreciation
Caribbean
- REGION: ‘Credible’ human rights issues widespread within Caricom
- REGION: Building agrifood trade between the Caribbean and Central America
- CARIBBEAN POINTER
- JAMAICA: Fiscal success creates new opportunities
- CUBA: Solar not shining brightly enough?
- BARBADOS: Movement on debt-for-climate
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights
El Salvador recently marked the two-year anniversary of the state of exception declared by Nayib Bukele’s government as part of declared efforts to crack down on gangs – a move which suspended constitutional guarantees [SSR-22-05].
Caribbean & Central America - April 2024
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- Introduction
Central America
- HONDURAS: A long-awaited verdict
- NICARAGUA: FSLN further cements control
- PANAMA: Order to halt migrant aid raises eyebrows
- GUATEMALA: Addressing indigenous demands
- GUATEMALA: Arévalo charting economic course with US assistance
- REGION: New BCIE chief pledges to end loans to El Salvador and Nicaragua
Caribbean
- JAMAICA: Opposition PNP makes progress
- GUYANA: UN Human Rights Committee has a look at Guyana
- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Growth rate set to double this year
- THE BAHAMAS: Reeling from the climate change punches
- REGION: Tourism recovery under way
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights
A US federal jury has found Honduras’ former president Juan Orlando Hernández (2014-2022) guilty on three drug and weapons-related counts.
Caribbean & Central America - March 2024
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- Introduction
Central America
- GUATEMALA: Arévalo’s initial security moves
- EL SALVADOR: Election day marred by irregularities
- NICARAGUA: The right to asylum and citizenship?
- PANAMA: Continued drought brings further canal restrictions
- HONDURAS: Value of goods exports falls year-on-year
Caribbean
- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Plaudits for anti-corruption efforts
- TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: Ghost ship dumps oil
- REGION: Bahamas, Belize and Turks & Caicos removed from EU tax list
- HAITI: Challenges facing MSS
- CUBA: Economy minister replaced amid tension over austerity
- GUYANA: Budget problem: too much money
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights
We begin the March 2024 edition of the Latin American Regional Report: Caribbean & Central America in Guatemala where, since taking office mid-January, President Bernardo Arévalo has declared the fight against extortion a key security priority.
Caribbean & Central America - February 2024
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- Introduction
Central America
- GUATEMALA: A new era in Guatemala as Arévalo takes over the reins
- HONDURAS: Foot-dragging on CICIH draws concern
- NICARAGUA: Weakening the judiciary
- NICARAGUA: Government steps in after key coffee buyer declares bankruptcy
- COSTA RICA: Medical devices drive strong increase in value of exports
Caribbean
- JAMAICA/THE BAHAMAS: US raises travel warnings amid crime concerns
- REGION: EU presses for changes to CBI programmes
- SURINAME: Debt restructuring nearly completed
- REGION: Mosquitoes recruited for anti-dengue sting
- REGION: Mixed reaction to Icon of the Seas
- POINTERS
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights
We begin the February 2024 edition of the Latin American Regional Report: Caribbean & Central America in Guatemala where, against all the odds, anti-corruption reformer Bernardo Arévalo was finally sworn in as president last month.
Caribbean & Central America - January 2024
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- Introduction
Central America
- COSTA RICA: Another record year of homicides
- HONDURAS: Questioning the impact of Castro's state of exception
- PANAMA: Environmentalists hail ruling against key mine
- GUATEMALA: New supreme court elected after long delay
- GUATEMALA: Regional court ruling will affect outlook for miners
- EL SALVADOR: Economic outlook improving as Bukele poised for re-election
Caribbean
- HAITI: A country seemingly without hope
- CUBA: Government rejects claims of economic “neoliberalism”
- JAMAICA: Debt burden slashed
- REGION: New focus on plastic waste
- POINTERS
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights
We begin the January 2024 edition of the Latin American Regional Report: Caribbean & Central America in Costa Rica which finished 2023 with an unprecedented 907 homicides, up from 654 in 2022 – itself a record year.