Football War Veterans’ Pensions: Comparative Analyses of Pension Systems of Honduras & El Salvador

Abstract

The shortlived armed conflict between El Salvador and Honduras, which took place in 1969, dubbed as the “Soccer War” was actually conflict on economic grounds. The author wonders if today the differences in wealth between the two countries are so significant that it is possible, under the this diversity, various forms of pension arrangements in both countries. The aim of the research study is a comparative analysis of past and present solutions to pension systems in Hon-duras and El Salvador. The author hypothesized advance the implementation of the capital pension solutions in El Salvador, as the effect of higher levels of economic development in this country than in Honduras. The paper is presented in the system: The historical development of pension systems, The present state of pension systems, Similarities and differences, and Challenges and planned changes in the pension systems. In conclusion, the author states that pension system in Honduras seems in comparison with El Salvador profoundly delayed the implementation of reforms, particularly in the absence of competing private pension fund management companies. In turn, the pension system in El Salvador seems to use the experience of other Latin American countries in solving problems related to the financing needs of persons of advanced age. The reform implemented since 2008 had a capital nature, referring directly to the solutions used previously in Chile. Today, however, it appears that the transition costs are impossible to bear the financial system of the state and created now the need a thorough analysis of the solutions adopted. Placed at the beginning of the hypothesis, of an earlier implementation of capital pension solutions in El Salvador, as the effect of higher levels of economic development in this country, than in Honduras, received confirmation.