©️ECLAC
Santiago, 6 August 2025.- In its report published on 5 August 2025, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) ranks Haiti, Cuba and Mexico among the weakest economies in the region for the current year. These three countries are expected to perform well below the regional average, in a context of global economic tensions and internal fragility.
Haiti appears to be the most affected country, with a recession estimated at –2.3% for 2025, after a decline already recorded in 2024. This would therefore be a second consecutive year of economic contraction, a sign of a prolonged crisis. By 2026, the situation would only improve marginally, with a further expected decrease of 1% of GDP.
Cuba is not spared either: its economy is expected to decline by 1.5 per cent by 2025, before approaching stagnation the following year. Mexico, while more stable, has anemic growth of 0.3 per cent this year and 1 per cent in 2026. This slowdown is linked to the fall in domestic demand and economic dependence on the United States, themselves in times of slowdown.
ECLAC Executive Secretary José Manuel Salazar warns that the entire region is trapped in a slow cycle of growth, even mentioning a new « Lost decade », after the 1980s. It also highlights the instability of the global context, dominated by unpredictable trade policies and strong financial volatility, which mainly affect already vulnerable economies, like Haiti.
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