LA PAZ, 27 January 1998 (AFP). In 1997 the amount of foreign debt of a combined group of 23 Latin American and Caribbean countries reached 644 billion dollares.... These obligations grew by 50% in the period 1991-1997. The Indicators of the foreign debt load showed a general improvement and were similr to those registered before the external debt crisis of the 1980s, according to the a report by CEPAL [ECLA]. Some governments -- the report notes -- directed a part of the plentiful resources obtained to pay off short term debt, while others used the funds to exchange for Brady bonds.... Foreign Debt, Region and Selected Countires (in $US millions) Country 1994 1995 1996 1997(a) ----------------------------------------------------------- Latin Am./Carib. 556,977 608,000 629,054 644,625 Argentina 79,455 89,719 99,077 108,000 Bolivia 4,216 4,523 4,366 4,500 Brasil 148,295 159,300 178,100 188,200 Colombia 21,954 25,050 29,202 31,665 Ecuador 14,589 13,934 14,586 14,070 Peru 30,214 33,515 33,643 27,865 Venezueala 41,160 38,460 35,277 33,250 ----------------------------------------------------------- (a) Preliminary data. Published in Los Tiempos (Cbba), 28 January 1998, p. B5, my translation. Tom Kruse / Casilla 5812 / Cochabamba, Bolivia Tel/Fax: (591-42) 48242 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
