WASHINGTON DC.- To help provide Latin American and Caribbean countries with current information on the economic crisis and its implications for the region, the World Bank  assembled a group of high-level Latin American experts and political and governmental leaders to discuss the crisis and its repercussions.

In an open discussion forum, key political figures such as  El Salvador’s President-elect Mauricio Funes, provided their perspectives on the crisis and its impact on the region.

Panelists for the first session on the economic implications of the crisis include the finance minister of  Colombia, Oscar Zuluaga, as well as José de Gregorio, the Governor of Chile's Central Bank, and Ricardo Hausmann, Venezuela’s former planning minister and Harvard University professor. Augusto de la Torre, the Bank’s chief economist for Latin America, was the moderator.

The event also addressed the crisis’ social and political implications. Economic growth in the region –of over five percent per year– has not only halted, but according to Bank estimates it also threatens to push four million people into poverty.

A second session moderated by The Miami Herald columnist Andrés Oppenheimer focused on a possible reversal in the region’s social development, an increase in trade protectionism and the crisis’ potential impact on Latin American politics. Panelists included Jorge Castañeda, former Mexican foreign affairs minister and New York University professor; Carlos de Abreu, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Brazil; and Julia E. Sweig, senior researcher at the Council on Foreign Relations. The session concluded with remarks by Marcelo Giugale, the World Bank’s regional director of economic policy and poverty reduction.

The forum, which also discussed the support from developed countries and multilateral institutions, was attended by Juan José Daboub, World Bank managing director; and Pamela Cox, Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean. It was   broadcast live on the web, allowing online questions from audiences throughout the region. Check back for updates.