Latin America - The Banker

Development demand

Press conference on co-operation between the Latin American development banks (l to r): Enrique Garcia, CAF president; Luis Alberto Moreno, IDB president; Jyrki Koskelo, IFC vice-president for Europe, central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean and global financial markets; and Pamela Cox, World Bank vice-president for Latin America and the Caribbean

The slump in capital markets activity and a decline in cash flow has pushed Latin America's multilateral development banks to prominence as the biggest and most robust lenders in some of the region's principal credit markets. Writer Jane Monahan in Washington, DC

A different kind of support

Luciano Coutinho, BNDES president

National development banks in Latin America such as Brazil's BNDES and Mexico's Nafinsa are playing an important role in keeping funds flowing in the region, but there is a danger of them being over-stretched. Writer Jane Monahan

Winners and Losers in LATAM

Nick Rischbieth, president of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration

Some of the multilateral development banks in the Latin Americas region are proving stellar sources of funding at this time of crisis, although others are lagging behind with depleted reserves. Writer Jane Monahan

A public answer to a private problem

Carlos Heller, president, Creditcoop

As Argentina slides towards recession, the country's private banks are reining in their lending activity, meaning that publicly owned banks will have to take a more advanced role in safeguarding the country's economic wellbeing. Writer Jason Mitchell in Buenos Aires

Latin America’s uphill struggle

Short-term trade finance has come apart in Latin America but banks and governments are focusing on home markets to the detriment of a global solution. The effects are reverberating hard in emerging markets and a dependence on devalued commodities and over-aggressive hedging by exporters are exacerbating the situation. Writer John Rumsey.

Partnership married with pragmatism

Luis Moreno, President, Inter-American Development Bank

The president of the Inter-American Development Bank explains how it will be working to help Latin American and Caribbean countries to help themselves in 2009.

The CAF's quiet ascent

Enrique García, CAF

The Andean Development Corporation (CAF), set up by various Latin American governments, is proof of the benefits of partnership between developing nations. Enrique García, the bank’s president, discusses the reasons behind its success. Writer Hugh O’Shaughnessy.