MEXICO CITY – Four Central American countries – Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua – are struggling, still burdened by the legacy of the last century’s wars. They are resilient yet incomplete democracies, challenged by poverty, violence, and corruption – and all but forgotten by the international community. But now there is reason to hope that these countries’ prospects could improve.
SANTIAGO, Chile – The economy of Latin America and the Caribbean will grow just 0.5 percent this year, half the previous forecast and the lowest level in six years, the United Nations said Wednesday.
The Tico Times sat down with U.S. Ambassador Stafford Fitzgerald Haney at the U.S. Embassy in San José last week to hear his thoughts on U.S. foreign investment, foreign policy, Costa Rica’s leadership role in the region, and the possibility of medical marijuana legalization here.
Central America’s seven countries suffer a disproportionate share of the consequences of global warming, including floods, hurricanes and other natural disasters.
Flares of violence in Central America’s Northern Triangle have sparked a sudden rush of migrants seeking refugee status in Costa Rica, according to Immigration Administration Director Kathya Rodríguez. In the face of this rush, immigration officials have been working to reactivate its long-lauded refugee system after no refugee applications were granted in 2014.
Along with being the first legal recognition of a same-sex relationship in Central America, the decision could set an example for judges elsewhere in the country to recognize gay relationships and even adoption. But both supporters and opponents of the ruling expect a forthcoming legal battle.
The report released in May showed that Costa Rica is the most expensive destination on the isthmus but also one of its best values. Costa Rica ranked 42nd in the world on the global ranking, behind Mexico (30) and Panama (34) in the region.
In recent years, international cartels moving cocaine, arms and laundered money have installed themselves in key transshipment locations in Latin America and the Caribbean. As their franchises expanded, they have converted several countries into global crime hubs.
Throughout this whirlwind of a book about a whirlwind of a life, Cohen teaches the reader about bananas, Central American politics and history, and the Banana King’s role in the turbulent politics of Honduras and Guatemala in particular.
Next month, the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association will hold its 2015 regional meeting in El Salvador – the only Central American nation without a Caribbean coast.
