The sub-region which covers much of South American including Brazil is where most of the countries are essentially exporters of commodities and energy, largely agricultural commodities and minerals such as iron ore. These countries have been beaten up by the slowdown in demand for their commodity exports from China.\u00a0 Chile is also having trouble because of dropping commodity prices, especially of copper.<\/p>\n
Bolivia, Venezuela and Argentina are \u201cplaces where the problems are essentially self-inflicted because of their populist policies which have discouraged foreign investment and trade.<\/p>\n
A fourth sub-region to is the Caribbean which is the subject of increased attention now thanks to the recent economic and diplomatic overtures to Cuba.<\/p>\n
Given its vast area, huge population and immense natural resources, Brazil is the key problem in South America.\u00a0 The country\u2019s challenges aren\u2019t limited to a weakening demand for commodity exports.\u00a0 Stifing regulations, lack of a trained workforce and a corrupt political system are throttling economic development.<\/p>\n
Mexico\u2019s economic expansion will be buoyed by the continued rapid growth of its automotive sector. In 2014 alone, Honda began production at a new $800 million plant in Guanajuato state; Mazda opened its first plant in North America, a $770 million facility also in Guanajuato, and Kia announced plans for a new $1 billion plant in Nuevo Leon. Other major firms preparing to open new plants in Mexico include Audi and BMW. Guillen notes that these investors \u201care not going to go anywhere\u201d else, because their plants are \u201cbecoming increasingly more competitive\u201d with auto factories elsewhere in the world. He adds that Mexican plants \u201calso have another advantage; they have cheap energy coming from North America.\u201d<\/p>\n
Like Brazil, however, Mexico faces political challenges that could cloud its prospects for faster growth.\u00a0 Can promise overcome corruption?\u00a0\u00a0 Latin America’s Future<\/a><\/p>\n From the Wharton Business School’s online comments: Buoyed by high prices for the commodities they export, the major nations of Latin America have enjoyed strong growth in recent years, but that slowed down in 2014. Last year, the aggregate growth … Continue reading ![\"Corruption](\"http:\/\/www.w-t-w.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/Corruption-in-Latin-America-300x170.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"