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Central America pays the price for fiscal failure

Tuesday 28 March, 2017


Central Americans have good reason to flee to the U.S. in ever greater numbers. Record-setting homicide rates and lack of economic opportunity plague much of the region. A main cause of these and other ills is the failure of governments to provide for the health, education and welfare of their citizens.

El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras -- the countries that accounted last year for most apprehensions at the U.S. southern border -- are poor. Even so, they could make far better use of the resources they do have. For this to happen, they need to reform their approach to taxes and public spending.

Source: Bloomberg editorial