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Latin American Central Bank Reform: Progress and Challenges

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  • International Monetary Fund

Abstract

This study takes stock of the institutional reform of monetary policy in Latin America since the early 1990s. It argues that strengthening the legal independence of central banks, together with macroeconomic policies, was instrumental in reducing inflation from three-digit annual rates in the 1990s to single-digit territory in 2004. The paper also discusses the main challenges of monetary policy today, namely, achieving price stability, restoring market confidence in domestic currencies, and sticking to policy consistency despite adverse effects of the volatility of capital flows. Finally, recurrent banking crises and lack of fiscal discipline are identified as the main risks for the success of monetary policy in Latin America.

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  • International Monetary Fund, 2005. "Latin American Central Bank Reform: Progress and Challenges," IMF Working Papers 2005/114, International Monetary Fund.
    • Handle: RePEc:imf:imfwpa:2005/114
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    1. Jácome, Luis I. & Vázquez, Francisco, 2008. "Is there any link between legal central bank independence and inflation? Evidence from Latin America and the Caribbean," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 24(4), pages 788-801, December.
    2. Mr. Luis Ignacio Jácome, 2015. "Central Banking in Latin America: From the Gold Standard to the Golden Years," IMF Working Papers 2015/060, International Monetary Fund.
    3. Manoel BITTENCOURT, 2009. "Macroeconomic Performance And Inequality: Brazil, 1983–94," The Developing Economies, Institute of Developing Economies, vol. 47(1), pages 30-52, March.
    4. Jacome H., Luis I. & Saadi Sedik, Tahsin & Townsend, Simon, 2012. "Can emerging market central banks bail out banks? A cautionary tale from Latin America," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 13(4), pages 424-448.
    5. Bogliacino, Francesco & Rojas Lozano, Daniel, 2017. "The evolution of inequality in Latin America in the 21st century: Patterns, drivers and causal hypotheses," MPRA Paper 77803, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Bittencourt, Manoel, 2011. "Inflation and financial development: Evidence from Brazil," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 91-99.
    7. López-Martín Bernabé & Ramírez de Aguilar Alberto & Sámano Daniel, 2018. "Fiscal Policy and Inflation: Understanding the Role of Expectations in Mexico," Working Papers 2018-18, Banco de México.
    8. de Mello, Luiz & Moccero, Diego, 2011. "Monetary policy and macroeconomic stability in Latin America: The cases of Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 229-245, February.
    9. Hernández-Correa, Gerardo, 2017. "La jurisprudencia de la Corte Constitucional y la autonomía del Banco de la República," Chapters, in: Uribe, José Darío (ed.), Historia del Banco de la República 1923-2015, chapter 8, pages 385-410, Banco de la Republica de Colombia.
    10. Dayoub, Mariam & Lasagabaster, Esperanza, 2008. "General trends in competition policy and investment regulation in mandatory defined contribution markets in Latin America," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4720, The World Bank.
    11. Manoel Bittencourt, 2010. "Financial Development and Economic Growth in Latin America: Schumpeter is Right!," Working Papers 201014, University of Pretoria, Department of Economics.
    12. Bittencourt, Manoel, 2012. "Financial development and economic growth in Latin America: Is Schumpeter right?," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 341-355.
    13. Aitor Erce, 2012. "Selective sovereign defaults," Globalization Institute Working Papers 127, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.
    14. Serge Jeanneau & Camilo E Tovar, 2008. "Domestic securities markets and monetary policy in Latin America: overview and implications," BIS Papers chapters, in: Bank for International Settlements (ed.), New financing trends in Latin America: a bumpy road towards stability, volume 36, pages 140-163, Bank for International Settlements.
    15. Manoel Bittencourt, 2007. "Macroeconomic Performance and Inequality: Brazil 1983-1994," Ibero America Institute for Econ. Research (IAI) Discussion Papers 163, Ibero-America Institute for Economic Research.
    16. Aitor Erce Domiguez, 2010. "Debtor Discrimination During Sovereign Debt Restructurings," 2010 Meeting Papers 1324, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    17. International Monetary Fund, 2010. "Weathering the Global Storm: The Benefits of Monetary Policy Reform in the LA5 Countries," IMF Working Papers 2010/292, International Monetary Fund.
    18. Bank for International Settlements, 2007. "Evolving banking systems in Latin America and the Caribbean: challenges and implications for monetary policy and financial stability," BIS Papers, Bank for International Settlements, number 33.
    19. Mr. Jeromin Zettelmeyer, 2006. "Growth and Reforms in Latin America: A Survey of Facts and Arguments," IMF Working Papers 2006/210, International Monetary Fund.
    20. Richard C. K. Burdekin & Leroy O. Laney, 2016. "Fiscal policymaking and the central bank institutional constraint Una Vez Más: New Latin American evidence," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 167(3), pages 277-289, June.
    21. Mr. Luis Ignacio Jácome, 2008. "Central Bank Involvement in Banking Crises in Latin America," IMF Working Papers 2008/135, International Monetary Fund.
    22. Mr. Luis Ignacio Jácome & Tahsin Saadi Sedik & Mr. Simon Townsend, 2011. "Can Emerging Market Central Banks Bail Out Banks? A+L4848 Cautionary Tale From Latin America," IMF Working Papers 2011/258, International Monetary Fund.
    23. Ourania Dimakou, 2010. "Central Bank Independence, Bureaucratic Corruption and Fiscal Responses - Empirical Evidence," Birkbeck Working Papers in Economics and Finance 1012, Birkbeck, Department of Economics, Mathematics & Statistics.
    24. Mr. Yan Carriere-Swallow & Mr. Luis Ignacio Jácome & Mr. Nicolas E Magud & Alejandro M. Werner, 2016. "Central Banking in Latin America: The Way Forward," IMF Working Papers 2016/197, International Monetary Fund.

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