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Updated May 21, 2021
Latin America and the Caribbean: Impact of COVID-19
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is
Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) Facility, a mechanism
having widespread economic, social, and political effects
developed by global health organizations to facilitate
on Latin America and the Caribbean. As of May 20, 2021,
equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines; 22 countries
the region had over 31 million confirmed cases (19% of
in the region have signed agreements to access vaccines
cases worldwide) and almost 1 million deaths (29% of
through the facility. In addition, 10 countries in the
deaths worldwide). Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina,
region—Bolivia, Dominica, El Salvador, Grenada, Guyana,
and Peru had the highest numbers of deaths in the region,
Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and
and Brazil and Mexico had the second- and fourth-highest
the Grenadines—are eligible to benefit from the COVID-19
deaths globally. Looking at mortality (death) rates per
Vaccines Advance Market Commitment (COVAX AMC),
100,000 population, Brazil had the highest recorded
launched by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to provide donor-
COVID-19 mortality rate in the region, followed by Peru,
funded vaccines for low- and middle-income economies.
Mexico, Colombia, and Argentina (see Table 1).
Table 1. COVID-19 Cases, Deaths, and Mortality
In its weekly briefing on May 19, 2021, the Pan American
Rates in Latin American/Caribbean (LAC) Countries
Health Organization (PAHO) reported that infections had
(countries with more than 2,000 deaths, as of May 20, 2021)
begun to drop throughout the region in the past month after
a surge in cases, particularly in South America.
Cases
Deaths per
Country
Deaths
Nevertheless, PAHO reported that many Caribbean islands,
(millions)
100,000
such as the Bahamas, Haiti, and Trinidad and Tobago, were
seeing increased COVID deaths. In Central America, Costa
Brazil
15.894
444,094
210.42
Rica, Panama, and parts of Honduras were reporting sharp
Mexico
2.390
221,080
173.29
rises in infections. In South America, despite overall
reductions in most countries, PAHO noted rising infections
Colombia
3.177
83,233
165.34
in Bolivia, a doubling of cases and deaths in some hotspots
Argentina
3.447
72,699
161.77
in Argentina and Uruguay, and a pause in decreasing trends
in Brazil.
Peru
1.904
67,034
206.19
Chile
1.308
28,169
148.63
PAHO has played a major role in supporting countries in
their pandemic responses. When the pandemic began to
Ecuador
.415
20,022
115.24
surge in the region in 2020, the PAHO director expressed
Bolivia
.340
13,693
118.93
concern about the poor and other vulnerable groups at
greatest risk, including those living in the Amazon Basin,
Paraguay
.324
8,012
113.73
particularly indigenous communities; women, who make up
Guatemala
.245
7,952
47.89
70% of the health workforce in the Americas; people of
African descent; migrants in temporary settlements; and
Panama
.373
6,314
148.69
prisoners in crowded jails.
Honduras
.230
6,093
62.52
The rollout of vaccines in the region has been slow, with
Costa Rica
.297
3,736
74.02
some exceptions, and there is concern that widespread
vaccine access in some countries could be delayed until
Uruguay
.254
3,691
106.62
2022 or early 2023. As of May 21, according to the New
Dom. Rep.
.281
3,600
33.52
York Times vaccine tracker, Chile was the leader in the
region, with 40% of its population fully vaccinated,
Venezuela
.220
2,465
8.64
followed by Uruguay, with 28%. Many countries, however,
El Salvador
.071
2,202
34.12
have vaccinated smaller percentages of their populations.
For example, as of May 21, Barbados had fully vaccinated
Total LAC
31.452
997,946
—
16% of its population, Costa Rica 11%, St. Lucia 9.5%,
United States
33.057
588,539
179.3
Mexico 8.9%, Brazil 8.5%, the Dominican Republic 7.7%,
Panama and El Salvador 7.2%, Colombia 6%, Grenada
Source: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Coronavirus
5.2%, Argentina 4.8%, Peru 2.6%, and other countries with
Resource Center, “Mortality Analyses,” May 21, 2021, updated daily,
smaller percentages.
at https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/mortality.
PAHO maintains that by the end of 2021, vaccines provided
PAHO has helped countries prepare for vaccine rollout and
through COVAX should cover around 100 million people
facilitated access to vaccines through the COVID-19
in the region, roughly 20% of each country’s population. As
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Latin America and the Caribbean: Impact of COVID-19
of May 21, PAHO reported that almost 13 million doses
high levels of crime and violence. Economic factors include
had been delivered through COVAX. Vaccine deliveries
stagnant or declining growth; high levels of inequality and
through COVAX have been slower than expected because
poverty; and inadequate public services, social safety net
of supply problems. Many countries in the region also have
programs, and advancement opportunities.
signed commercial agreements with pharmaceutical
companies. A number of countries have begun to use
The pandemic exacerbated these factors and contributed to
Chinese and Russian vaccines; for several countries,
increased protests in the region since late 2020. Beginning
including Chile, Uruguay, and Brazil, China has supplied
in late April 2021, mass protests in Colombia against a
the majority of vaccines. Cuba is making progress on two
pandemic-related tax increase turned into broader anti-
vaccines it is developing, has begun trials that will cover
government demonstrations. Human rights groups and other
1.7 million people, and aims to have 70% of its population
observers also have expressed concern about leaders taking
vaccinated by August 2021.
advantage of the pandemic to advance their own agendas
and restrict freedom of expression.
PAHO’s director said on May 18 that more vaccines are
urgently needed for Latin America and the Caribbean. She
U.S. Policy Considerations
noted that the gaps in access to COVID-19 vaccines in the
Congress has provided some $17 billion in international
region are a symptom of the region’s overdependence on
affairs funding to help countries worldwide respond to
imports for essential medical supplies.
COVID-19, including through global health interventions,
humanitarian assistance, and contributions to multilateral
Economic Impact
efforts. The funding vehicles included two FY2020
In the April 2021 update of its World Economic Outlook,
supplemental appropriations measures approved in March
the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimated a 7.0%
2020 (P.L. 116-123 and P.L. 116-136); the Consolidated
economic contraction for the region. Economic recovery
Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260), approved in
may be a protracted process in countries that rely heavily on
December 2020; and the American Rescue Plan Act of
global trade and investment. Caribbean nations that depend
2021 (P.L. 117-2), signed into law in March 2021. P.L.
on tourism face deep economic recessions, several with
116-260 included $4 billion to be made available as a
projected economic declines over 15% in 2020. Several
contribution to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which supports
South American nations hard hit by the pandemic are
COVAX AMC and coordinates implementation of the
projected to register economic contractions over 10%.
COVAX Facility, both of which benefit countries in the
Although most countries in the region are expected to begin
region. Congress may consider additional funding for
economic recovery in 2021, the IMF regional growth
international pandemic response as it examines the Biden
forecast of 4.6% lags behind the expected world economic
Administration’s FY2022 budget request.
growth forecast of 6.0%.
Some Members of Congress have called for President
The economic contraction in 2020 increased poverty and
Biden to prioritize Latin American and Caribbean countries
exacerbated income inequality in the region. Latin America
in donating surplus vaccines to countries in need. The
already was the most unequal region in the world in terms
White House announced in March 2021 that the United
of income inequality, according the U.N. Economic
States would share 2.5 million doses of the AstraZeneca
Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
vaccine with Mexico. In April 2021, White House officials
(ECLAC). A March 2021 ECLAC report estimated 22
announced the United States would make available up to 60
million people in Latin America moved into poverty in
million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to countries
2020, with overall poverty rising to 33.7% of the region’s
worldwide, once the Food and Drug Administration
population from 30.5% in 2019.
authorizes the vaccine for emergency use and export. On
May 21, the White House announced it would send at least
A number of countries in the region have implemented
another 20 million doses of vaccines that are authorized for
stimulus programs to help protect their economies and
use in the United States.
vulnerable populations, but countries have needed external
financing to respond to the pandemic and associated
Some Members have argued for and against a proposal at
economic downturn. In response, international financial
the World Trade Organization to waive intellectual property
institutions, including the IMF, the Inter-American
rights for COVID-19 vaccines. On May 5, 2021, the
Development Bank (IDB), and the World Bank,
Administration announced its support for negotiating such a
significantly increased lending to countries in the region.
waiver due to pandemic’s extraordinary circumstances.
Legislation has been introduced (S. 616) to authorize a
Political Impact
capital increase for the IDB, in part to help countries
Even before the pandemic, public satisfaction with the
address the pandemic and its economic impact. The IDB
quality of democracy in several Latin America and
capital increase also was included in a broader legislative
Caribbean countries was eroding. The 2018-2019
initiative on China, S. 1169, reported by the Senate Foreign
AmericasBarometer public opinion survey showed the
Relations Committee on May 10, 2021.
lowest level of satisfaction with democracy since the poll
Mark P. Sullivan, Specialist in Latin American Affairs
began in 2004. Several broad political and economic factors
June S. Beittel, Analyst in Latin American Affairs
drove the decline and help explain the eruption of social
Peter J. Meyer, Specialist in Latin American and Canadian
protests in the region in 2019. Political factors include an
increase in authoritarian practices, weak democratic
Affairs
institutions, politicized judicial systems, corruption, and
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Latin America and the Caribbean: Impact of COVID-19
Maureen Taft-Morales, Specialist in Latin American
Clare Ribando Seelke, Specialist in Latin American
Affairs
Affairs
IF11581
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