MACROECONOMIC VULNERABILITY IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

This study examines the main and comparative features, concerning different levels of national economic vulnerability of Latin American and the Caribbean nations. The period under revision is from 2000 to 2005. It contains a qualified approach based on cluster analysis, which in turn is founded on delimiting divisions by means of standard deviations. The main objective of this article is to establish to what degree Latin American and the Caribbean nations have margin of macroeconomic manoeuvre, within their short and medium term conditions. Results show the best positioned countries regarding this issue are those which have been able to combine, a well-organized macroeconomic management, with high external revenues, either derived from financial services, tourism of investments (Bahamas) or tourism and oil exports (Trinidad and Tobago).