The Increasing Emphasis on U.S.-Central American Trade

In the spectrum of U.S. relations, Central America holds a far lower profile than the Middle East, Europe or Asia, but stability in Central America and the Caribbean is fundamental to North American security. U.S. President Barack Obama traveled to Costa Rica on May 3 for a meeting with leaders from Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Belize, Panama, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and the Dominican Republic. The visit marks a waypoint in the slow evolution of the region's relationship with the United States — a relationship that since the end of the Cold War has become increasingly focused on economic integration and criminal issues.