LatinNews Daily - 20 July 2020

* President Nayib Bukele has announced his decision to suspend the second phase of El Salvador’s economic reopening, after hearing the opinions of “experts and above all the health ministry”. His announcement followed another record in new daily coronavirus (Covid-19) cases, with 361 registered in the 24 hours up to 19 July, bringing the total to 12,207, with 344 fatalities. This is the second time Bukele has postponed the second phase of reopening the economy, having initially done so on 5 July. The first phase of El Salvador’s economic reopening began on 16 June, with sectors considered key to the economy such as textiles, manufacturing, and construction able to return to work. The second phase would involve reopening public transport, among other sectors. According to the most recent (15 July) forecast from the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (Eclac), El Salvador’s GDP is set to contract by 8.6% in 2020, the largest contraction in Central America.

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