MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

CIA forecast.

The United States Central Information Agency, CIA, forecasts prosperity for Latinamerica in the coming fifteen years based primarily in the information revolution and an important drop in the birth rate.

"Global Tendencies 2015", ordered by the National Council of Intelligence was elaborated with the help from foreign affairs experts, scientists, economists as well as defence and security analysts.

Brazil and Mexico will be the leading nations, followed closely by Argentina and Chile, and although democracy will continue to consolidate in the region, crime, corruption and poverty will remain important challenges, and could result in "the emergence of populist and authoritarian politicians".

According to the CIA the area will also continue to be vulnerable to financial crisis, given the need for foreign capital and the weak export pattern of some countries.

However growing trade, an investment boom and the expansion of trade blocks such as Mercosur, the all Americas Free Trade Association will generate a situation of overall prosperity.

As far as Cuba is concerned, CIA says it will all depend "in the way and moment that President Fidel Castro leaves the spot light".