Alvarado has called the unemployment rate — recently tallied at 11.3% of the economically active population — as the most serious economic problem in Costa Rica.
The U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) announcement Wednesday of its first interest rate increase in more than nine years is expected to affect mostly interest rates on about 87 percent of Costa Ricans and companies here that took out dollar loans.
The Costa Rican foundation Fundecooperación para Desarrollo Sostenible this week reported they have ₡750 million ($1.3 million) available to finance small- and medium-sized businesses to help improve the quality of life or promote gender equality.
“These numbers show a stable, solid financial system with liquidity that is contributing to the growth of the local economy by providing financial resources to virtually all sectors, both commercial and personal.”
