Barbados escalates as an investor in Nicaragua, and an economist questions the origin of the money
Economist warns: investment from Barbados in Nicaragua could be dirty money or financial laundering
TL;DR
- Economist Enrique Sáenz believes investments from Barbados in Nicaragua are of dubious origin.
- Barbados became the second-largest source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Nicaragua in 2025, with $263.6 million.
- This represents a significant jump from $3 million five years prior.
- Sáenz suggests this rapid growth indicates either money laundering or the ruling elite reintroducing their own funds as foreign investment.
- He points to tax havens like Barbados as places where shell companies can be easily established.
- Panama was the leading source of FDI, followed by Barbados, with the US falling to third place.
- Sáenz concludes that investments from Panama and Barbados are undoubtedly of questionable origin.