Agência Brasil*
Brasilia – Direct foreign investment (DFI) in Latin America and the Caribbean increased by 44% in 2004, reaching US$ 56.4 billion. In South America, the increase was of 48% and in Mexico and the Caribbean 43%. It is the first time since 1999 that the DFI increases in these regions. The results were disclosed this Tuesday (15) in the report on Foreign Investment in Latin America and the Caribbean prepared by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (Eclac).
The greatest increases in the flows of foreign capital in 2004 occurred in Brazil – 79% – and in Chile – 73%. Brazil is the greatest recipient, obtaining more than US$ 18 billion, followed by Mexico, with almost US$ 17 billion. The flows for Argentina increased in relation to the two previous years, but remained low if considered the last 15 years.
Trinidad and Tobago, El Salvador and Colombia also benefited from the increases in the DFI, while Panama and Venezuela suffered a retrocession.
*Translated by Silvia Lindsey
