Lagarde sees four LatAm economies standing out next year

Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru are the countries in Latin America that are likely to show the best economic performance in 2014, IMF managing director Christine Lagarde told CNN en Español.

Lagarde said that these nations are poised next year to benefit from solid macroeconomic policies in place and healthy fiscal positions, as well as for having implemented reforms aimed at speeding up GDP growth.

She noted that it is difficult to draw general conclusions about the region given the differing economic situations in these countries. Lagarde pointed out that Brazil is growing below its potential and needs reforms while Mexico is a country that is embarked on an ambitious reform agenda whose benefits have so far been limited. However, she remarked that the IMF believes that Mexico should significantly benefit from the ongoing Mexican reform process in 2014. 

Lagarde also expressed concern over the Venezuelan economic situation including its rampant inflation and basic good scarcity, while noting that the IMF is making "progress" in its dialogue with the Argentine government over the need to improve the credibility of the country's inflation and GDP growth statistics.