This publication presents an overview of the history of growth and structural transformations in the six Central American countries between the mid-20th century and the end of the 2010s. The authors identify lights and shadows in the historical experience of countries to illuminate reflection on future development strategies and policies. The analysis is based in the historical-structural approach of Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), whose purpose is to examine the movement in the national productive and social structures over time, considering the endowment of resources, the effects of national policies and institutional changes, as well as the international economic environment in which economies are inserted. The authors review the history of Central American integration as well, and it is reinforced the importance of carrying out comparative studies, establishing the similarities and differences in the socioeconomic evolution of the six countries. To conclude, a vision of the future that implies a change in the development models of each country and the region is proposed.