Guanacaste moves forward with CABEI support: works that transform lives and promote comprehensive development in the province

San José, July 23, 2024 - By promoting financial solutions that have helped ensure access to essential services such as potable water, electricity, health, and education, as well as strengthening road connectivity and the area's tourism and productive potential, the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) underscores its firm commitment to the well-being and progress of the province of Guanacaste.

One of the most representative projects is "Agua para la Bajura" (Water for the Lowlands), which received the order to begin construction and will ensure access to water for consumption, irrigation, and electricity generation, benefiting 700,000 persons, boosting economic sectors such as agriculture, livestock, and tourism, and strengthening the resilience of the Chorotega region.

At the same time, the Emergency Program for Comprehensive and Resilient Infrastructure Reconstruction (PROERI) is moving forward, with plans to carry out 26 works in nine cantons in the province, with an investment of over US$44 million in bridges, road sections, and educational centers.

Among these efforts, the bridge over the Chingo River in La Cruz canton has already been completed, transforming daily mobility for more than 2,000 people, particularly students of Santa Elena School. Additionally, the Matías Duarte Sotela Educational Center in Santa Cruz has received its construction start order, seven more projects have been awarded and are currently in the contract formalization phase, eight have signed contracts, and three others are under active procurement.

Additionally, as part of technical cooperation, CABEI is promoting pre-investment studies for the modernization of the road between Liberia and Comunidad, a strategic route near Daniel Oduber International Airport.

The Bank's support was also reflected in the expansion and modernization of the Hospital de la Anexión in Nicoya, an investment that involved the construction of a new hospital building with 134 beds and equipment to facilitate multiple medical specialties, benefiting more than 120,000 persons.

In terms of electricity generation, CABEI supported the development of the Las Pailas I Geothermal Project, from its conception to the operating lease. Thanks to this investment, more than 119,800 households receive electricity generated from sustainable sources.

Finally, with regard to access to water resources, various key interventions are being implemented throughout the province, including the expansion of the Bagaces aqueduct, which now provides safe potable water to 130,000 Guanacaste residents, solving arsenic contamination problems and strengthening public health.