▁only ▁a ▁reaction ▁against ▁the ▁b ubble ▁economy ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 0 s ▁( de cade ), ▁which ▁burst ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁and ▁became ▁the ▁Late - 2 0 0 0 s ▁re cess ion ▁with ▁prolong ed ▁un emp loyment . ▁ ▁Central ▁America ▁ ▁Despite ▁the ▁failure ▁of ▁a ▁last ing ▁political ▁union , ▁the ▁concept ▁of ▁Central ▁American ▁reun ification , ▁though ▁lack ing ▁enthus ias m ▁from ▁the ▁leaders ▁of ▁the ▁individual ▁countries , ▁r ises ▁from ▁time ▁to ▁time . ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 6 – 1 8 5 7 ▁the ▁region ▁successfully ▁established ▁a ▁military ▁coal ition ▁to ▁rep el ▁an ▁invasion ▁by ▁United ▁States ▁advent urer ▁William ▁Walker . ▁Today , ▁all ▁five ▁nations ▁fly ▁flags ▁that ▁retain ▁the ▁old ▁federal ▁mot if ▁of ▁two ▁outer ▁blue ▁bands ▁bound ing ▁an ▁inner ▁white ▁stri pe . ▁( C osta ▁Rica , ▁tradition ally ▁the ▁least ▁committed ▁of ▁the ▁five ▁to ▁regional ▁integration , ▁modified ▁its ▁flag ▁significantly ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 8 ▁by ▁dark ening ▁the ▁blue ▁and ▁adding ▁a ▁double - wide ▁inner ▁red ▁band , ▁in ▁honor ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁tr icol or ). ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 7 , ▁a ▁Central ▁American ▁Court ▁of ▁Justice ▁was ▁created . ▁On ▁December ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁Gu atem ala , ▁El ▁Salvador , ▁H ond uras , ▁and ▁Nic ar agua ▁established ▁the ▁Central ▁American ▁Common ▁Market ▁(" C