"This is the largest amount of FDI so far, absorbed by the region" with a 31% increase over the previous year, the commission said, on Thursday.

The region’s previous record high occurred in 2008, when investment totaled $131 billion.

Peru also attracted a record high investment of $7.658 billion, PeruThisWeek.com reported.

"Despite the uncertainty that still reigns in the global financial markets, the economies of Latin America and the Caribbean attracted significant amounts of FDI in 2011, amounts will remain high in 2012," ECLAC said.

The commission said it foresees a slight slowdown in Latin American economies, with an average expansion of 3.7%, amid a "turbulent environment of even more uncertain" due to the "low growth in developed countries.”

The report said FDI in Latin America could fluctuate between -2% and 8% in 2012.

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