Introduction

The first piece in this August 2022 edition of the Latin American Regional Report: Caribbean & Central America begins with Nicaragua where, in a recent update, United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Michelle Bachelet highlighted the “dramatic reduction of civic space” in Nicaragua.... Read More

Central America

NICARAGUA: Closing civic space

In a June update before the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council (HRC), UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Michelle Bachelet highlighted the “dramatic reduction of civic space” in Nicaragua.... Read More

COSTA RICA: Government under pressure over indigenous rights

A series of attacks on indigenous leaders have raised concerns over the safety of indigenous communities in Costa Rica.... Read More

HONDURAS: Gearing up for key appointments

Amid calls for the new leftist Libertad y Refundación (Libre) government led by President Xiomara Castro to make good its vote-winning pledge to combat corruption, all eyes are on the selection of the new 15-member supreme justice court (CSJ) which is due to be finalised in early 2023.... Read More

PANAMA: The fight to restore the forests

Panama’s environment ministry (MiAmbiente) has launched a new initiative to incorporate various sectors into its reforestation efforts and meet its commitment outlined in the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change to restore 50,000 hectares (ha) of forest by 2025 in line with carbon emissions reduction targets.... Read More

PANAMA: Gov’t faced with protests sparked by rise in living costs

The Partido Revoluciónario Democrático (PRD) government led by President Laurentino Cortizo has recently faced some of the worst unrest in decades, over complaints regarding high fuel costs, rising prices for basic goods, deteriorating public finances, and economic mismanagement.... Read More

REGION: Digital tools increasingly important for MSMEs battered by pandemic

Micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) represent a vital part of the regional economy that was badly affected by the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, but increasing digitalisation has boosted resilience.... Read More

Caribbean

GRENADA: Another chance for NDC

Grenada’s National Democratic Congress (NDC), which won the 23 June general election under its leader Dickon Mitchell, is back in power for the first time since 2013.... Read More

REGION: World Bank pushing food security agenda

The countries of the Caribbean have become very conscious of the issue of food security in the light of the war in Ukraine, and the issue was at the centre of the 19-21 May regional Agri-Investment Forum and Expo in Georgetown, Guyana, that we reported on last month.... Read More

Caribbean & Central America - August 2022