In addition, the president of the state bank, Douglas Rodríguez, detailed that net IED flows in the last decade have registered an increase of 60%.

Profits generated by transnationals in El Salvador broke records for the third consecutive year. "Since 2021, the income of IED companies has exceeded US$1 billion and in 2023 totaled US$1,426.4 million, with an inter-annual growth of 11.6% and an annual profitability of 3.4%, the highest ever recorded in El Salvador", Rodríguez noted.

Among the sectors that received the most foreign investment, BCR data highlights transportation, with US$285.4 million; finance, with US$132.8 million; electricity, with US$98.3 million; commerce, with US$95.9 million, and information and communications, with US$57 million.

In terms of the origin of the investment, Panama was the country with the highest flow of IED to El Salvador, with a total of US$297.4 million, followed by the United States, with US$121.5 million.

In third place comes the United Kingdom, with US$89.8 million, followed by Mexico, with US$77.3 million, and Colombia closes in fifth place, with US$72.3 million invested in El Salvador.

Translated by: A.M