Public enterprise plays a key role in the economic development process in Latin America, both because of the region's cultural heritage, which has led people to look to central authority for leadership in promoting economic growth, and because of the accelerated pace of recent cataclysmic events to which only governments have had the power to respond.

Currently, Latin America is undergoing its worst economic setback in half a century, in which eight newly-elected democratic governments are struggling to regain control over their destinies. These governments face unprecedented planning and administrative problems as they move from the crisis-management phase of economic austerity programs to one of resumed growth. A central concern of these governments is, and will continue to be, the successful operations of major parastatal enterprises.

In 1982-83 Latin America experienced a depression which rivaled that of the 1930s. Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) declined by 1% in 1982 and by 3.3% in 1983. Per capita income fell 10% below 1980 levels. The proximate cause of this depression was the crisis produced by external debt.

By 1984 several countries in the region began to show signs of recovery from the severe recession and external-sector crisis. Economic growth rebounded to 2%, and the larger countries achieved impressive improvements in external balances. Brazil's total exports grew sharply, as did Mexico's non-oil exports. In 1985 growth has surged ahead in Brazil and Mexico although falling commodity prices have placed new strains on the smaller countries (and weaker oil prices, as well as erosion in domestic policy, have undermined Mexico's external position).