The relationship between the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) has historically been a rocky affair of ups and downs, with many economic crises and debt defaults in the middle.
A turning point in this relationship came in the early aughts, when many countries from the region cancelled their debt with the lender. The end of the pandemic, however, saw that trend change course, with more and more LAC nations requesting loans from the IMF.
This phenomenon is not taking place in a vacuum, as the Fund’s presence is accompanied by the United States’ growing geopolitical interest in the region. According to experts, this could potentially condition funding in exchange for greater alignment with Washington.
These are some of the conclusions from the most recent report on the IMF in Latin America and the Caribbean by liberal think tank IDEAs (International Development Economics Associates).
The region in debt numbers
