Guatemala Manages to Get Maturity Extension for $265 million Loan

The credit was designed to support the ministries of Health and Education, to be implemented in this year, 2011.

The Finance Minister, Alfredo Rolando Del Cid Pinillos, said: "We managed to extend the BCIE funds for two and a half more months. It was a successful negotiation. If in that time congress has not given approval, the funds will be frozen."

The government is also negotiating another loan expiration date, with the Japanese International Cooperation Agency, for $110 million, to be used for road improvements.

The limited progress on the legislative agenda has already caused the cancellation of a $114.5 million World Bank loan for programs to combat poverty

Source: prensalibre.com

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Infrastructure Loan Halted in Costa Rica

June 2011

The opposition in Congress will not approve a of $60 million BID loan until project plans have been submitted.

The resources that the government intends to use to strengthen the country's cantonal roads will have to wait, because the opposition has refused to approve the funding unless the list of projects to be financed by this loan are disclosed.

Guatemala Analyzes a Precautionary Loan Request

March 2009

The Government is analyzing whether to ask the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a precautionary loan through a stand-by agreement.

Siglo XXI published on its website: "A precautionary loan is characterized as stand-by because the organism commits to reserving the amount requested, but the disbursement is not immediate.

Guatemalan Congress approves new loans

February 2009

The Congress approved two loans for $28.5 million which will be added to the $950 million that were approved last Tuesday to finance the national budget.

PRENSALIBRE.com reports, "The decision to approve another loan for $30 million (Q237 million) - in aid for the criminal justice system -, was postponed at the request of the "Eferregistas" lawmakers who asked for more time to analyze it, as they claimed that "not even the Supreme Court knew all the details."

Nicaragua May Lose Another $190 Million

February 2009

Nicaragua would lose these resources if the American program Millenium Challenge Account (CRM) decides on March 11th to withdraw from the country.

In its website, Mi Punto publishes: "According to the newspaper La Prensa, CRM had anticipated expanding their contribution with $240 million more to build highways, of which $110 million would be contributed by the agency and $130 million by the Central American Bank of Economic Integration (BCIE), which [funds] are also suspended.”