Finance

News

Loans for El Salvador emergency

The World Bank was accused of “behaving like vultures, like loan sharks” by US NGO 50 Years is Enough Campaign after it offered to help finance emergency relief efforts in El Salvador in the wake of January’s earthquake.

News

El Salvador to dollarise

El Salvador is planning to make the US dollar legal tender in January as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s economy.

Social services

News

Panama Bay scheme alert

An NGO concerned about a project that will cause irreversible damage to Panama Bay is calling for international support.

Accountability

News

Mexican NGOs demand transparency

In November Mexican civil society networks greeted incoming president, Vincente Fox, with a letter calling for greater transparency and accountability in the country’s decision making processes.

Conditionality

News

Argentine bail-out causes more hardship

After weeks of jockeying by the Argentinian government, the IMF and the US Treasury Department finally agreed to provide $18 billion to bailout Argentina’s troubled economy in November.

Finance

News

Brazilians say “no” to debt and the IMF

In Brazil a national plebiscite on External Debt, held in September, rejected the government’s agreement with the IMF and its commitment to full debt repayment at whatever cost.

Social services

News

Hondurans strike against privatization

In August, thousands of civil servants went on strike for 24 hours in Honduras disrupting education, transport and health services.

Conditionality

News

Bolivians appeal for end to conditions

The worsening social and economic crisis in Bolivia, has led to several weeks of riots, according to The Bolivian Foro Jubileo 2000, which appealed to the international community and the Paris Club, which met in October, not to impose any new adjustment conditions.

Conditionality

News

Ecuadoreans protest against adjustment reforms

In June the Patriotic Front, a coalition of unions and grass-roots organizations, held a national strike to protest neoliberal economic policies promoted by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Social services

News

Protests over Paraguay privatisation plans

In June, several protesters and journalists were injured after clashes with police in Asuncion, Paraguay, on the first day of a 48-hour general strike against plans to privatize telephone, water and railroad companies.

Finance

News

New book on debt origins and impacts

Brazilian activist Marcos Arruda exposes the problems with his government’s economic policies and the role of the IMF in a new book.

Rights

News

Brazilian Indians threatened by World Bank loan failure

A July Urgent Action bulletin from Survival International urges the World Bank and Government of Brazil to act to uphold conditions attached to an 18 year old World Bank loan.