Safety and investment in latin america?

Question

i am very interested in investing in real estate in central america and have already purchased in panama. i really have been interested in nicuragua and guatamala though. i have heard that nicuragua, my first choice, is not safe. any thoughts on investment opportunities and safety?

Answer 1

I don;t think taht users are trying to reply to your question but they seem to be defending their countries obviously making them biased. Prom a neutral perspective I would ONLY and HIGHLY recommend Panama. Their is a boom in the real estate indusry in this country lately. It is very difficult to fin a beachfront property and they are becoming more and more expensive. Panama is now the most popular country in Central America and has huge amount of tourists coming in. Casinos, beaches quality of life, the Canal and many other attractions have boosted the country's economy. Many foreign investors are purchasing land and apartments in the area as investment or to have a place for vacation and retirement. An important fact that you must consider is the legal terms of buying real estate and how tough the process might be in dealing with this in other countries. panama is by far the most user friendly system to purchase real estate as we speak. Also, Panamanians dominate english fairly well i have noticed and this makes things easier for foreign investors as well. Panama is highly influenced by the United states because of the canal, and because of what happend in the 1989 removal of a dictatorship the US will never let something happen like this again in Panama. In the other hand, the US does not really care or has any interest in other central American countries. I can't recall when was the last time that a US president or Collin Powell and Condoleeza Rice visited another country in the area other than Panama.

I would recommend to purchase land and or apartments in the new area of Costa del este which is 5 minutes away from the Capital's heart and it is starting to flourish. it is also 10 miutes away from panama's INTL airport so the location is the best. osta del este overlooks the bay of Panama making it exclusive. the financial and banking system in Panama is also great. You can find great American banks such as Citibank and there are also great local banks like Banco Continental and general.

My final suggestion is for you to hurry since the real estate industry is rapidly booming and the later you wait, the higher your cost will be, and the lower your profit margin will be.

best

Answer 2

Nicaragua has been rated the safest country in Central America by various sources. Statistics and surverys by INTERPOL, the United Nations, INCAE, the Inter-American Human Rights Institute and the Police Forces in the Americas show that statistically, Nicaragua has the lowest crime rate in Central America and one of the lowest in Latin America. Managua has also been rated the safest capital in the region, however, 40% of the crime that occurs in Nicaragua is centered in Managua. In 2005 Managua experienced a growth of 23.2% in crime, although it is the safest capital in the region, crime rates for Managua and neighboring cities have been rising over the past years. In Managua, the most common type of crime is property crime, petty theft and street crime such as robbery and mugging.

Neither Nicaragua or the city of Managua have major gang problems, in comparison to its regional neighbors. The number of gang members was estimated at 4,500 throughout the country, lower than all of its Northern neighbors in the region (excluding Belize). In 2003, the Policía Nacional de Nicaragua (National Police of Nicaragua) recognized gangs committed only 0.51% of all crimes. In 1991, there were 110 gangs in Managua, in 2001 the number of gangs reduced to 96 gangs with a total of 1,725 members. Over the next 3-4 years the number of gangs and gang members both decreased and increased. In late 2005 the number of gangs and members decreased significantly to 34 gangs and their 706 members in Managua, these represented 38% and 32% of the national total of gangs and its members.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Managua

Answer 3

Nicaragua is safe, the safest country in Central America. Don't let people tell you it is not, do your own research. Nicaragua has the 2nd lowest homicide rate in Central America (after Costa Rica) but it has the lowest overall crime rate. Guatemala is also beautiful and has a good real estate to invest in, however, it seems you are worried about safety. In reality Guatemala is considered the most dangerous country in Central America. It has the 2nd highest homicide rate and highest crime rate in Central America.

Investing in Nicaragua Involves Very Few Restrictions. A foreign investment law ensures you can repatriate 100% of your profits and, after three years, the initial investment as well. (Even if you don't 'register' your investment, banks will freely repatriate profits.) You'll find no legal grounds for discrimination against you when you invest. The law allows for 100% foreign ownership in every economic sector. And there are no restrictive visa or work-permit requirements to inhibit investment.

This Sandinista "communist" government overthrew a Dictator who ruled my country for 3 generations, he was backed by the U.S. Don't listen to people who don't live here and know nothing of the situation and every day life.

Answer 4

Nicaragua had the sandinista communist governments ousted just 16 years ago and now they are back.  This is not a safe place for an investment.  On the bright side, the prices reflect this, they have changed their tune a bit, Raul Castro may change the Latin hard left when Fidel dies.

Panama and Costa Rica are the safest, buit also the most overvalued.

I don't think Guatemala is unsafe, but am not sure what type of property you are looking for

Answer 5

i think you should do a research of your own on the internet because when it comes to speaking about their own country people over do it they may even tell you its better than hawaii and puerto rico when its so far from it so i would say panama is a good invesment place their economy is so much better than nicaraguas. in nicaragua is more hopes that they have of them having a good economy but panama has a much stronger economy. and panama is beautiful.