Economic Freedom Snapshot
2016 Economic Freedom Score: 29.8 (up 0.2 point)
Economic Freedom Status: Repressed
Global Ranking: 177th
Regional Ranking: 29th in the South and Central America/Caribbean Region
Notable Successes: None
Concerns: Rule of Law, Labor Freedom, and Financial Freedom
Overall Score Change Since 2012: +1.5
Much-touted “free-market reforms” have largely involved only cosmetic changes. The rule of law remains subject to political influence and the overriding interests of the Communist Party. The judiciary’s autonomy is severely impeded by the centralization of power in the one-party state.