Because of factors such as business closures and lack of opportunities, it is estimated that criminal activity costs Honduras and El Salvador 16% of GDP, and in the case of Guatemala, its losses could amount to 7% of its production.
In Central America, the human costs of crime remain one of the highest in the world. El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras—referred to as the Northern Triangle— account for about four-and-a-half percent of homicides worldwide despite only having about one-half-percent of the world's population.
World Bank statistics show that every day, about $1.3 billion are paid in bribes related to state contracts.
The figures were mentioned by Michael Kramer, a consultant at the entity, who is taking part in the forum "Preventing and combating corruption and collusion in public procurements", taking place in Panama.
"... In addition to cash bribes for the award of contracts in recent years the practice has spread to awarding projects to companies created by officials," reported Prensa.com. Sometimes they are consultancies or suppliers that have no references or physical offices.
Growing crime and violence in Central America not only have an immediate human and social toll, they also pose a tremendous threat to development potential in the region.
Today, it is estimated that these sources of instability may decrease regional Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 8 percent, once health, institutional, private security, and material expenses are accounted for.
The region spends over $6.5 billion each year to fight insecurity and violence.
Central America is the world's most violent region, with an average murder rate of 33 homicides per 100.000 inhabitants, stated a report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
"Central America has become the world's most violent region. With the exception of areas of intense political violence, such as the South African region, the Central American countries together have the highest murder rate in the world, found the study, which does not include Irak, due to its state of war.
An ex President, high ranking public officers and distinguished businessmen are sentenced for corruption and peculation in Costa Rica.
When justifying the sentence, the judges told of how a group of powerful politicians from a prominent party conformed a criminal gang which developed an entire operation using assets of the State, among them Legislative Assembly and Social Security, to make money with illegal commissions paid by foreign and domestic dishonest businessmen.