A growth strategy for Guatemala

At present Guatemala has a relatively stable economy. Although advances have been made towards creating a free market economy and rationalizing the budget, Guatemala is still far from ending the modernization process. For a small country like Guatemala, the only strategy able to generate growth is to back up on the country's exports. Therefore it's important to achieve macroeconomic effectiveness, and to reduce an anti-exports tendency resulting from the present trade policy.

To grow at a rate of 7% each year, investment should be higher than 18% according to internal production. Investment success depends on the private sector, but only with a clear policy that encourages national savings as a key factor for investment to increase the number of jobs, and to strengthen international investments.

The challenge of economic growth requires an agile Government which can simplify the citizens' activities, a strong Government which guarantees peoples' rights and which holds enough moral authority to make people comply with the law. To redefine the country's Government includes a review of its main objectives and function and a strategy to make them happen.