The UN’s Economic Commission for Latin America (Eclac/Cepal) reports that the region attracted a record US$138bn in foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2011. Although China maintained its place as the region’s third biggest external investor, it actually reduced the size of its direct investment in the region in 2011 compared with 2010. The US accounted for 17% of the region’s 2011 FDI and Holland supplied 13%. China provided 9%, well ahead of both Spain and Canada, traditionally heavy direct investors in the region, which each accounted for 4%. In 2010, according to Cepal, FDI in Latin America had come to…