The Central American Parliament, also known by the abbreviation Parlacen (from the Spanish Parlamento Centroamericano) is a political institution devoted to the integration of the Central American countries.

The Parlacen represents a modern renewal of the historic United Provinces of Central America which existed from 1823 to 1840.

The Parlacen has its more recent origins in the Contadora Group, a project launched in the 1980s to help deal with civil wars in El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua. Although the Contadora was dissolved in 1986, the idea for Central American Integration remained, and its works were taken by the Esquipulas Peace Agreement, which, among other acts, agreed to the creation of the Central American Parliament.

The following countries each return 20 directly-elected deputies to the Parliament:

• El Salvador
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• Nicaragua
• Panama

• Dominican Republic has special observer status in the Parlacen. (acceded 26 February 2004)hyj

In spite of its efforts to promote the Esquipulas Agreement, Costa Rica has not yet ratified and is consequently not represented in the Parlacen.

Structure

The Parlacen has three branches: Plenum, Board of Parliament, and Secretariat.

The Parliamentary Parties

If ten members of at least two or more countries, they can from a Parliamentary Group.

• The Democratic Centre (CD)
• The Democratic Alliance of Central America (ADC)
• The Parliamentary Group of the Lefts (GPI)
• Democratic Convergency of Central America (CDC)
• Democratic Integration

Source:

Central America | Foreign relations of Guatemala | Foreign relations of El Salvador | Foreign relations of Honduras Foreign relations of Nicaragua Foreign relations of Panama Foreign relations of the Dominican Republic

Parlamento Centroamericano | Parlement centraméricain