Smaller South American Economies

Those countries with lower GDP are not in a position to be much help in offering employment to fleeing migrants. The smaller economies and their GDP includes

Panama $66.71 billion, Poverty 23%

Costa Rica $57.08 billion, Poverty 21.7%

El Salvador $24.81 billion, Poverty 34.9%

Nicaragua $13.81 billion, Poverty 30% 

Belize $1.838 billion. Poverty 41%

GDP in Guatemala is $76 billion, but poverty is 59%. GDP in Honduras is $23 billion, but poverty is 60%. Jobless South and Central American citizens are migrating. Venezuela is bankrupt and uninhabitable, because their Socialist government over-borrowed and overspent on social programs in order to get elected. I blame the voters.

Attempts to address poverty with social welfare programs have backfired on Central and South American countries who adopted these programs. Government policies failed to address the need for families to be able to grow their own food. Poverty breeds crime and socialism and both are destructive to families.

The Drug Problem will continue to plague these countries until it is eradicated. But poverty breeds coca production and drug money breeds government corruption. Colombia has reduced their drug problem and other countries should be copying them.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader