Latin American and Caribbean Economic Association

Latin American and Caribbean Economic Association
Name	Latin American and Caribbean Economic Association
Founded	0 1992
Location	Santiago, Chile
Focus	Economic research and policy
Website	https://lacea.org/

Latin American and Caribbean Economic Association is a prominent international professional organization dedicated to advancing economic research and policy dialogue across the Americas. Founded in 1992, it serves as a central network for economists from Latin America, the Caribbean, and the global academic community. The association promotes high-quality empirical and theoretical analysis to address the region's pressing development challenges. Its activities are closely linked with major institutions like the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank.

History

The association was established in 1992 during a pivotal period of economic reform across Latin America, following initiatives like the Washington Consensus. Its creation was supported by leading economists and institutions seeking to strengthen regional analytical capacity, including figures associated with the National Bureau of Economic Research. The inaugural meeting was held in Buenos Aires, signaling a commitment to fostering a pan-regional scholarly community. Over the decades, it has grown in parallel with regional integration efforts and the expansion of economics departments at universities such as Universidad Torcuato Di Tella and Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México.

Objectives and activities

Its primary objective is to improve the quality of economic research and its application to public policy in Latin America and the Caribbean. Core activities include organizing the annual **LACEA Annual Meeting**, which is a premier forum for presenting research on issues like poverty, inequality, and trade. The association also administers several research networks and training workshops, often in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank and the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System. A key focus is bridging the gap between academic economists and policymakers at institutions like the Central Bank of Chile and the Ministry of Finance (Brazil).

Organization and governance

The association is governed by an elected **Executive Committee**, which includes a President, Vice-President, and representatives from across the region. Day-to-day operations are managed by a Secretariat, historically hosted by institutions like the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. Key governing bodies include the **Standing Committee** and the **Board of Directors**, which features distinguished economists from universities such as University of California, Berkeley and University of São Paulo. The organizational structure supports various thematic networks, including the **Network on Inequality and Poverty** and the **Inequality, Conflict, and Cooperation Network**.

Publications

Its flagship publication is the open-access journal Economía, published in partnership with the Brookings Institution Press. The journal features rigorous research on the region's economies and is edited by scholars from institutions like Harvard University and Universidad de los Andes (Colombia). The association also publishes the LACEA Newsletter and occasional working paper series. Furthermore, it collaborates on special issues and volumes with entities like the National Bureau of Economic Research and the Center for Global Development.

Conferences and events

The cornerstone event is the annual **LACEA Annual Meeting**, which rotates among cities like Mexico City, Lima, and Bogotá. This conference attracts hundreds of participants from academia, institutions like the International Monetary Fund, and central banks including the Central Reserve Bank of Peru. The association also co-organizes the **LACEA-LAMES Annual Meeting** in conjunction with the Latin American Meeting of the Econometric Society. Other significant events include specialized workshops on topics like climate economics, often held at venues such as Universidad de la República in Montevideo.

Notable members and leadership

The association's leadership has included many preeminent economists. Early presidents included **Guillermo Calvo**, known for his work on capital flows, and **Nora Lustig**, a leading scholar on inequality. Other notable figures involved in its governance are **Andrés Velasco**, former Minister of Finance (Chile), and **Carmen Reinhart**, former Chief Economist at the World Bank. Distinguished members and award recipients include **Daron Acemoğlu** of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, **Esther Duflo** of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab, and **Francisco Ferreira** from the London School of Economics.

Category:Economic associations Category:Organizations based in Chile Category:International professional associations