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

The Parlacen has its origins on 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, decided on 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 (acceded 26 February 2004)

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

Source:

Parlamento Centroamericano (in Spanish) (http://www.parlacen.org.gt)