Up to August, the external and internal public debt amounted to $18.463 billion, equivalent to 23.4% of the country's Gross Domestic Product.
According to figures from the Ministry of Public Finance, in the last nine years the debt to GDP ratio has slightly varied, between 23.3% and 24.8%.
Regarding the country's indebtedness level, Abelardo Medina, senior economist at the Central American Institute of Fiscal Studies, said to Dca.gob.gt that "... It is interesting to note that, although Guatemala reports the lowest level of debt in the region and one of the lowest in the world, the evaluation given by risk rating agencies does not reach investment level. This is a product of political instability but, especially, it is due to the limited size of its fiscal revenues."
Partly explained by the decline in business confidence, the International Monetary Fund expects Costa Rica's economy to grow 3.3% each year in 2018 and 2019.
The uncertainty in the economy is mainly due to the government's growing debt and fiscal deficit, as well as doubts about the future of the tax reform that was already approved in the first debate by the Legislative Assembly, but now awaits the approval of the Constitutional Chamber.
The Nicaraguan economy continues to record high growth rates and sustainable macroeconomic policies, with an average GDP growth of 5.2% in recent years.
Statement issued by the IMF:
IMF Concludes Staff Visit to Nicaragua
Press Release No. 16/191
April 29, 2016
A staff team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) led by Gerardo Peraza visited Managua during April 25–29, 2016.
Businessmen are asking for "... the establishment of concrete commitments and legal limits on the financial debts that the government may take out in the name of all Salvadorans."
From a statement issued by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in El Salvador:
Approval of new issues of government bonds are not the solution to the problem of the government's lack resources, until there is a Fiscal Responsibility Law to address comprehensively the problem of sustainability of public finances, there is no guarantee that the government will not continue acquiring more debt which is not translated into improvements in the areas of security, education, health, infrastructure and other essential services for the population.
The National Assembly has passed a bill amending the Criminal Code in order to adapt it to international legal standards for the prevention of crimes of money laundering.
From a statement issued by the National Assembly of Panama:
The full Legislature approved on its third reading Bill No. 102, which amends and adds articles to the Penal Code.
The document seeks to adapt the Panamanian criminal substantive law to the global context and thereby ensure the country's commitment to assuming the highest possible international standards that enable the subsumption of a larger catalog of punishable offenses in the criminal offenses created, in order to elevate the Republic of Panama to the highest position in the prevention and suppression of crimes of money laundering and terrorist financing.
The organization states that the country has advanced in the process of economic stabilization and has exceeded the quantitative targets set for December 2014, also meeting the benchmarks set for March 2015.
From a press release issued by the International Monetary Fund (IMF):
An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission, led by Mr. Lisandro Ábrego, visited Tegucigalpa during March 9-17 to conduct the first review of Honduras’ Fund-supported program, approved on December 3, 2014. At the conclusion of the visit, Mr. Ábrego issued the following statement in Tegucigalpa today:
The government has announced that it will allocate funds from the agreement signed with the International Monetary Fund for works such as the conclusion of the dry canal, port construction in Amapala, and the revamping of Puerto Cortés.
From a statement issued by the Government of Honduras:
"Agreement with IMF will allow us to invest in infrastructure, social programs and other major projects."
A bill that the government plans to introduce in the Assembly before the end of year includes transforming the sales tax and into a value added tax and gradually raising the rate from 13% to 15%.
This increase should be available within two years in order to "... stabilize the size of the gap between government debt and gross domestic product (GDP) from 2019 and safeguard macroeconomic stability. "