There's an enduring myth in Latin America that left-wing populist governments somehow do a better job of promoting economic growth and social development than their political counterparts. For those wedded to that belief the 2014 Social Progress Index should be compulsory reading.
Two weeks after attending her last international summit as president at the Pacific Alliance conference in Cartagena, Colombia, Laura Chinchilla defended her government’s decision to eventually join the growing free trade bloc of some of Latin America’s biggest economies.
Costa Rica’s President Laura Chinchilla on Monday signed a declaration of intent to join the Pacific Alliance, a trade bloc composed of Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.
The result is not as bad as it seems, but it was still ugly. Chile shut out Costa Rica 4-0 during an international friendly in the Chilean port town of Coquimbo on Wednesday evening. However, Costa Rica's biggest stars all missed the match.
