Hoy newspaper points out that the Central Bank is late issuing the figures for the first trimester of the year. The economic editor of the newspaper Mario Mendez says that for years the bank has issued the report 20 days after the close of the trimester. Now 40 days after the close of the period, the official numbers are still not available leading to all sorts of speculation. According to the newspaper, a first estimate of the Central Bank showed a 5.5% decline of the economy. Others say it was 1.5%. The newspaper speculates that the Central Bank is revising the estimate to show a 3% decline in the economy.
