*Costa Rica’s finance ministry has released new figures which show that the country closed 2023 with a deficit of ¢1.53trn (US$2.96bn) – equivalent to 3.3% of GDP. This is up from ¢1.12trn in 2022 which was equivalent to 2.5% of GDP. The finance ministry explains the difference in terms of a rise in interest payments on debt which totalled ¢2.26trn (4.8% of GDP), the highest of the last 18 years, among other things. The finance ministry also highlighted that for the second year running, the country registered a primary surplus – of ¢729.71bn (1.6% of GDP), down from ¢927.39bn in 2022, which was equivalent to 2.1% of GDP. The finance ministry also noted that central government debt totalled ¢28.76trn, (61.1% of GDP). Central government debt totalled ¢28.2trn in 2022 (63.0% of GDP).
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