Caribbean & Central America
Caribbean & Central America - September 2022
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- Introduction
Central America
- GUATEMALA: Targeting another sector
- REGION: New reports highlight continued threat of food insecurity
- EL SALVADOR: Bitcoin experiment leaves public finances teetering
- COSTA RICA: Chaves facing long to-do list 100 days into term
Caribbean
- HAITI: Marking a grim anniversary
- ST KITTS & NEVIS: Early election gamble fails
- GUYANA: The divisions persist
- CUBA: Citizens get a new chance to buy dollars
- JAMAICA: Strong growth in second quarter
- CARIBBEAN POINTERS
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights
The first piece in this September 2022 edition of the Latin American Regional Report: Caribbean & Central America begins with Guatemala where the government has hitherto faced particular criticism over its attacks on independent judicial operators and prosecutors, amid concerns regarding a more general backsliding in democracy under Guatemala’s discredited head of the attorney general’s office (AG) María Consuelo Porras [SSR-22-07].
Caribbean & Central America - August 2022
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- Introduction
Central America
- NICARAGUA: Closing civic space
- COSTA RICA: Government under pressure over indigenous rights
- HONDURAS: Gearing up for key appointments
- PANAMA: The fight to restore the forests
- PANAMA: Gov’t faced with protests sparked by rise in living costs
- REGION: Digital tools increasingly important for MSMEs battered by pandemic
Caribbean
- GRENADA: Another chance for NDC
- REGION: World Bank pushing food security agenda
- CARIBBEAN POINTERS
- REGION: Despite risks, Caribbean tourism is bouncing back
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights
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.
Caribbean & Central America - July 2022
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- Introduction
Central America
- GUATEMALA: Re-appointment of AG head fans corruption concerns
- EL SALVADOR: State of emergency extended
- REGION: Cybersecurity a problem area for Central America
- GUATEMALA: Positive economic assessments, but problems on the ground
- REGION: Summit of the Americas fails to live up to promises
Caribbean
- REGION: The Caribbean makes its mark at Summit of the Americas
- REGION: Regional food security continues to concentrate the minds
- POINTERS
- BARBADOS: Georgieva plays good cop in Barbados
- HAITI: Gangs add to Haiti's economic troubles
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights
The first piece in this July 2022 edition of the Latin American Regional Report: Caribbean & Central America begins with Guatemala where President Alejandro Giammattei’s decision announced mid-May to re-appoint the highly discredited head of the attorney general’s office (AG), María Consuelo Porras, has drawn widespread condemnation.
Caribbean & Central America - June 2022
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- Introduction
Central America
- COSTA RICA: Chaves faces corruption and security challenges
- REGION: Growing threat from forest fires
- PANAMA: Green hydrogen plan in the works
- NICARAGUA: Ortega slams Colombia following ICJ ruling
- EL SALVADOR: Bukele doubles down but bitcoin difficulties become clearer
- NICARAGUA: More cooperation with Iran and China as US sanctions bite
Caribbean
- REGION: China capitalising on Caribbean vulnerability
- CUBA: Promised economic recovery looks set to disappoint
- DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: IMF impressed by economic resilience
- CARIBBEAN POINTERS
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights
The first piece in this June 2022 edition of the Latin American Regional Report: Caribbean & Central America begins with Costa Rica where the country’s new president, Rodrigo Chaves, whose Partido Progreso Social Democrático (PPSD) government took office on 8 May, faces various security-related challenges.
Caribbean & Central America - May 2022
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- Introduction
Central America
- EL SALVADOR: Gang crackdown reignites democracy concerns
- HONDURAS: Hernández loses final appeal
- PANAMA/REGION: US urges regional cooperation on migration
- COSTA RICA: Chaves promises economic recovery
- REGION: “Exceptionally strong” growth in remittances, says new report
Caribbean
- REGION: Food security shoots up the Caribbean agenda
- REGION: Uncertainty piles on uncertainty
- CARIBBEAN POINTERS
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights
The first piece in this May 2022 edition of the Latin American Regional Report: Caribbean & Central America begins with El Salvador where a crackdown on gangs, which was instigated in late March by the Nuevas Ideas (NI) government led by President Nayib Bukele in response to soaring homicides, is sparking major democracy and human rights-related concerns.
Caribbean & Central America - April 2022
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- Introduction
Central America
- GUATEMALA/REGION: Gender rights remain in a precarious state
- COSTA RICA/REGION: Costa Rica legalises medicinal cannabis use
- NICARAGUA: Convictions of political prisoners cause outcry
- HONDURAS: Castro declares fiscal emergency as part of economic plan
- REGION: Governments act to soften blow of rising fuel prices
Caribbean
- REGION: Caricom leaders worry about the effects of climate change and war
- TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: Killing of Venezuelan baby migrant highlights migrant crisis
- THE BAHAMAS: Strong recovery in 2021, but substantial risks still abound
- CARIBBEAN POINTERS
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights
The first piece in this April 2022 edition of the Latin American Regional Report: Caribbean & Central America begins with Guatemala, where on 8 March – International Women’s Day – congress approved a bill toughening sanctions for abortion.
Caribbean & Central America - March 2022
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- Introduction
Central America
- HONDURAS: Hernández’s arrest – a turning point in Honduras?
- EL SALVADOR: Spying scandal reignites press freedom concerns
- GUATEMALA: Giammattei’s security claims raise eyebrows
- NICARAGUA: Deepening ties with Russia amid increasing international isolation
- REGION: Working together to boost regional tourism
Caribbean
- GUYANA & SURINAME: Challenges ahead for Guyana and Suriname
- REGION: A busy month in the Caribbean for IMF
- CARIBBEAN POINTERS
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights
Less than three weeks after Honduras’s now former president Juan Orlando Hernández (2014-2022) and his Partido Nacional government left office, replaced by President Xiomara Castro and her leftist Partido Libertad y Refundación, Hernández was arrested in line with a US request for his extradition on drug-trafficking and weapons charges.
Caribbean & Central America - February 2022
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- Introduction
Central America
- GUATEMALA: Marking a key anniversary
- GUATEMALA: Giammattei claims progress but headline figures hide issues
- PANAMA: State to earn more from controversial mine under new deal
- EL SALVADOR: New water law draws criticism
- HONDURAS: Killing of indigenous activist underlines priority for new government
- COSTA RICA: More progress in clean energy efforts
Caribbean
- REGION: Oil and gas producers at bottom of Caribbean corruption index
- BARBADOS: Mottley begins new term
- GUYANA: Oil boosts Guyana’s budget by 37%
- CARIBBEAN POINTERS
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights
This February 2022 edition of the Latin American Regional Report: Caribbean & Central America begins in Guatemala, which recently marked the 25th anniversary of the signing of the peace accords that ended one of the longest armed conflicts in Latin America’s history (1960-1996).
Caribbean & Central America - January 2022
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- Introduction
Central America
- HONDURAS: Major security policy changes expected under Castro
- PANAMA: Clan del Golfo raids reveal increasing security concerns
- COSTA RICA: Corruption concerns prevail ahead of February elections
- COSTA RICA/PANAMA: First moves in extending marine biosphere reserves
- NICARAGUA/REGION: Nicaragua joins growing list of nations ditching Taiwan for China
- REGION: Coffee industry issues fuelling migration
Caribbean
- BARBADOS: Mottley calls early election
- SURINAME: Time of the essence as Suriname gains support from IMF and IDB
- POINTERS
Economic Highlights
- Economic Highlights
Honduras’ president-elect Xiomara Castro, of the left-wing opposition Partido Libertad y Refundación (Libre), has promised sweeping reforms to demilitarise citizen security and redouble efforts in the fight against corruption after more than a decade of Partido Nacional (PN) rule.