The Central American Bank for Economic Integration approved a $24 million extension of an existing line of credit, funds that will be invested in the implementation of sustainable production models and forest management and reforestation.
These funds will be used to increase financing for the "Bio-CLIMA Project: Integrated Climate Action to Reduce Deforestation and Strengthen Resilience in the Bosawas and Rio San Juan Biosphere Reserves" on Nicaragua's Caribbean Coast.
CABEI signed a memorandum of understanding with other Central American organizations to strengthen the development of the regional public debt market.
The agreement was signed by the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), the Executive Secretariat of the Council of Finance Ministers of Central America, Panama and the Dominican Republic (SECOSEFIN), the Executive Secretariat of the Central American Monetary Council (SECMA) and the Association of Central American Stock Exchanges (BOLCEN).
The rating agency decided to maintain at "B" the long-term and short-term local and foreign currency sovereign credit rating, with a negative outlook indicating the risk of a downgrade in case the Assembly does not approve an Extended Fund Facility or other policy measures.
In the current scenario, covering the government's large financing needs may require resorting to the central bank or other non-conventional financing, highlights the rating agency's analysis.
In addition to the $1,750 million that the government is seeking to obtain through the loan it is negotiating with the IMF, during the four years between 2022 and 2025 the country plans to place $4,000 million in foreign debt bonds.
During the auction held on February 1, 2021, the placement of domestic debt securities in local currency amounted to the equivalent of $210 million and in dollars to $115 million.
Through this mechanism, ¢129,667 million ($210.5 million) in Domestic Debt Securities Fixed Rate Colones and Sovereign Adjustable Real Domestic Debt Securities were allocated, informed the Ministry of Finance.
Given the agreement reached by the Alvarado administration and the IMF for Costa Rica to access a $1.75 billion loan, the business sector is calling for a reduction in public spending and for detailed information on the scope of the agreement signed by both parties.
In an attempt to ease the fiscal and economic crisis the country is going through, last year the Alvarado administration began negotiations to access a loan for $1.75 billion to be requested from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The Central American country placed in the international market $1.25 billion at a rate of 2.2% expiring in 2032 and $1.2 billion at a rate of 3.4% expiring in 2060.
Panama ventured today into the international capital markets through the reopening of Global Bonds expiring in 2032 and 2060 for an amount of $2.45 billion, as part of the financing plan for fiscal year 2021, informed the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF).
After the Alvarado administration agreed to backtrack on the proposal to negotiate a $1.75 billion loan with the IMF, it is predicted that next year the government will depend on domestic debt to finance its expenditures.
On July 8, the Salvadoran government issued $1 billion in bonds on the international market at a 9.5% interest rate with a maturity date of 2052.
The resources collected through this international issue are part of the $3 billion debt issuance authorized by the government and will be used to finance the health and economic crisis resulting from the spread of the Covid-19.
The country issued $500 million in the international market with a 12-year term, at a rate of 5.37%, and $700 million in the 30-year term, at an interest rate of 6.13%.
The operation was carried out through the Bank of America (BOFA), one of the most important investment banks in the world, chosen through a competitive process, informed the Public Finance Ministry (Minfin).
Arguing that a lower economic growth and a higher fiscal deficit are expected due to the effects of the covid-19, the agency decided to modify from BB to BB- the country risk rating.
The situation of the tax burden in the country is another factor affecting Fitch's decision, which was communicated to the Banco de Guatemala through the preliminary bulletin that the agency sent to the authorities.
The government issued $2.5 billion in sovereign bonds in the international market, maturing in 2056 and with an interest rate of 4.5%.
It is worth noting that this is the first sovereign bond issue since the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis in all of Latin America and that this transaction was executed with great success, exceeding more than 3 times the amount issued, reported the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
In order to face the health crisis, the Assembly authorized the issuance of securities for up to $2 billion, which will be issued in the national or international market.
According to the motion, 70% of the funds obtained will be used, as a priority, to attend to the health emergency and may be allocated to the fund for direct monetary transfers to economically vulnerable households, to cover the income shortfalls in the current budget, generated by covid-19 and to incorporate the resources into the General State Budget 2020, informed the Legislative Assembly.
The Ministry of Finance issued Treasury Bonds for an amount equivalent to $116 million, of which $52 million was in local currency and $64 million in foreign currency.
The overall amount of Treasury Bonds issued by the Republic of Guatemala so far, amounts to $414 million, corresponding to Fiscal Year 2020, of which one million correspond to Treasury Bonds issuances for small investors.
Treasury authorities announced that plans for this year are to negotiate with the Legislative Assembly for approval to issue debt in the international market, and if approved, the issuance would take place in 2021.
Last year the executive branch's plans were to issue $6 billion in Eurobonds, but the Legislative Assembly approved the issuance of only $1.5 billion, arguing that the amount proposed at the beginning was too high.