Latin America and the Caribbean is suffering a heavy blow as the novel coronavirus is spreading, governments are sending people home, and only a few businesses are allowed to operate. This happens against a grim backdrop of financial fragility, and a flight to quality assets in developed countries, with the resulting doubling of credit spreads in emerging markets since January … [Read more...] about Fiscal Policy in the Time of Coronavirus: Constraints and Policy Options for Latin American and Caribbean Countries
Alejandro Izquierdo
É assessor sênior do Departamento de Pesquisa do Banco Interamericano de Desenvolvimento (BID). Anteriormente, ocupou os cargos de líder técnico principal, assessor econômico regional para o México e a América Central e economista sênior do BID. Alejandro foi responsável pelo Relatório Macroeconômico Anual do BID por vários anos e é codiretor do programa executivo conjunto da Universidade de Columbia e do BID em assuntos financeiros internacionais em países emergentes. Também liderou a elaboração do relatório de referência do BID, Desenvolvimento nas Américas, em temas como crédito e gasto público na América Latina. Antes de ingressar no BID, Alejandro trabalhou no Departamento de Política Econômica do Banco Mundial e lecionou macroeconomia e finanças internacionais em várias universidades latino-americanas. Tem várias publicações em revistas especializadas e livros publicados. Alejandro é Ph.D. em Economia pela Universidade de Maryland, mestre pelo Instituto Torcuato Di Tella na Argentina e bacharel em Economia pela Universidade de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Greater Efficiency and the Path to a Prosperous Future for Latin America and the Caribbean
Latin America and the Caribbean has a difficult puzzle to solve. Growing national income is feeding demands for more and better government services. At the same time, because many governments increased expenditure during the years of the commodity boom and now face less favorable external conditions, they will need to adjust. In a context of external headwinds there is … [Read more...] about Greater Efficiency and the Path to a Prosperous Future for Latin America and the Caribbean
How Vulnerable Are Latin American and Caribbean Economies to a Sudden Stop in Capital Flows?
As the U.S. economy continues to grow and the labor market tightens, there is an increasing likelihood that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates. The consequences will reverberate in Latin America and the Caribbean. Our research suggests there are reasons for concern, but also ways countries can offset the risks. It is key that countries in the region take this … [Read more...] about How Vulnerable Are Latin American and Caribbean Economies to a Sudden Stop in Capital Flows?
What Are the Antidotes to Sudden Stops?
Policymakers in emerging economies have long suffered sudden stops, those paralyzing episodes in which foreign credit dries up. Such episodes can cause painful domestic adjustments that exact significant losses in GDP. But not all sudden stops are equal, and they do not all inflict the same amount of pain. Take the case of Latin America. During the Tequila Crisis, when foreign … [Read more...] about What Are the Antidotes to Sudden Stops?
Trimming the Fat for Better Growth
Why do governments need to save? In large part, for some of the same reasons people and firms need to save: to invest and help their economies grow and prosper. Public saving may make up less of national saving than household or corporate saving in Latin America and the Caribbean. But it is nonetheless vital to overall economic health. Greater public saving would allow … [Read more...] about Trimming the Fat for Better Growth