Deuda externa de Nicaragua alcanza un máximo histórico bajo dictadura sandinista • Café con Voz

Nicaragua cerró el primer semestre de 2024 con un nivel de deuda externa que marca un nuevo máximo histórico, el más alto desde que el dictador Daniel Ortega retornó al poder en 2007.

Deuda externa de Nicaragua alcanza un máximo histórico bajo dictadura sandinista • Café con Voz

TL;DR

  • Nicaragua's foreign debt reached a record $15.27 billion in the first half of 2024.
  • This debt constitutes 85.7% of the country's GDP.
  • The current debt level is significantly higher than when Ortega took office in 2007 ($3.4 billion), after having been reduced from nearly $11 billion in 1990.
  • Public sector debt accounts for $8.64 billion (56.6%) and private sector debt for $6.63 billion (43.4%).
  • The government has increased its debt limit, with a significant portion of new financing coming from China.
  • The growing reliance on Chinese loans is a response to international sanctions and diplomatic isolation.
  • Debt servicing in the second quarter of 2024 was $975.2 million, with $882.6 million for principal and $92.6 million for interest and commissions.
  • Experts warn that dependence on external loans, particularly from China, could jeopardize Nicaragua's long-term stability.