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Updated August 4, 2021
Latin America and the Caribbean: Impact of COVID-19
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is
the Grenadines—are eligible to benefit from the COVID-19
having widespread economic, social, and political effects
Vaccines Advance Market Commitment (COVAX AMC),
on Latin America and the Caribbean. As of August 4, 2021,
launched by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to provide donor-
the region had almost 41.1 million confirmed cases (21% of
funded vaccines for low- and middle-income economies.
cases worldwide) and almost 1.38 million deaths (32% of
deaths worldwide). Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, and
Table 1. COVID-19 Deaths, Mortality Rates, and
Argentina had the region’s highest numbers of deaths.
Vaccinations in Latin American & Caribbean
Looking at mortality (death) rates per 100,000 population,
(countries with more than 1,000 deaths, as of August 4, 2021)
Peru had the highest recorded COVID-19 mortality rate in
the region, followed by Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, and
Fully
Paraguay (see Table 1).
Country
Deaths
Deaths per
Vaccinated
100,000
(percentage)
In its weekly press briefing on the pandemic on August 4,
2021, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)
Brazil
558,432
264.60
20.26
reported that COVID-19 infections were accelerating in
Mexico
241,936
189.64
20.31
central Mexico and that, in Central America, Guatemala
was seeing a rise in infections. In addition, PAHO reported
Peru
196,598
604.72
12.74
increased cases in Cuba and noted that although cases were
Colombia
121,216
240.8
24.92
dropping across South America, infections were increasing
in some Brazilian states.
Argentina
106,447
236.87
16.00
Chile
35,640
188.05
65.10
PAHO has played a major role supporting countries in their
pandemic responses. When the pandemic began to surge in
Ecuador
31,644
182.14
14.18
the region in 2020, PAHO’s director expressed concern
about the poor and other vulnerable groups at greatest risk,
Bolivia
17,882
155.32
15.00
including those living in the Amazon Basin, particularly
Paraguay
15,135
214.84
4.07
Indigenous communities; women, who comprise 70% of the
health workforce; people of African descent; migrants in
Guatemala
10,483
63.14
2.08
temporary settlements; and prisoners in crowded jails.
Honduras
7,902
81.08
3.23
The rollout of vaccines has varied considerably, and there is
Panama
6,851
161.34
16.49
concern that widespread vaccine access in some countries
Uruguay
5,976
172.63
64.95
could be delayed until mid-2022, making populations
vulnerable to new waves of the virus and to more
Costa Rica
5,070
100.44
16.86
transmittable variants. As of August 4, 2021, according to
PAHO’s director, just 18% of people in Latin America and
Dom. Rep.
3,968
36.95
39.88
the Caribbean had been fully vaccinated. The director
Venezuela
3,637
12.75
3.86
asserted in late July that the “region has yet to access the
vaccines that it needs to keep our populations safe.” As of
Cuba
2,993
26.41
24.00
August 4, Chile and Uruguay were leaders in the region,
El Salvador
2,663
41.26
24.01
with 65% of their respective populations fully vaccinated,
and the Dominican Republic had 40% fully vaccinated. In
Jamaica
1,203
40.80
4.14
contrast, countries with reported vaccination rates of less
Trinidad &
than 5% included Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica,
1,101
78.93
13.99
Tobago
Nicaragua, Paraguay, and Venezuela. (See Table 1.)
Total LAC
1,379,561
—
—
PAHO has helped countries prepare for vaccine rollout and
Source: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Coronavirus
has facilitated access to vaccines through the COVID-19
Resource Center, “Vaccination Progress Across the World,” at
Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) Facility, a mechanism
https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/international; and “Mortality
developed by global health organizations to facilitate
Analyses,” accessed August 4, 2021, at https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/
equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines; 22 countries
mortality. For Argentina and Cuba, the source for vaccination data is Josh
in the region have signed agreements to access vaccines
Holder, “Tracking Coronavirus Vaccinations Around the World,” New
York Times, August 4, 2021.
through the facility. In addition, 10 countries in the
region—Bolivia, Dominica, El Salvador, Grenada, Guyana,
Note: Peru revised its official COVID-19 death tol in May 2021 to
account for excess deaths attributed to COVID-19 not previously
Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and
counted, which tripled the country’s reported death tol .
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Latin America and the Caribbean: Impact of COVID-19
Latin American and Caribbean countries have been
contributing to increased protests in the region since late
acquiring COVID-19 vaccines from a variety of sources. As
2020. In 2021, pandemic-related protests have erupted in
of August 4, 2021, PAHO reported that over 35 million
several countries, notably in Colombia, Cuba, and Brazil.
doses had been delivered or were in transit through
Human rights groups and other observers also have
COVAX. Vaccine deliveries through COVAX have been
expressed concern about leaders taking advantage of the
slower than expected due to supply problems and other
pandemic to advance their own agendas and restrict
challenges. Many countries in the region also have signed
freedom of expression.
commercial agreements with pharmaceutical companies.
Both China and Russia have sold, and in some cases
U.S. Policy Considerations
donated, COVID-19 vaccines to countries in the region. For
Congress has provided some $17 billion in international
several countries, particularly Chile and Uruguay, China
affairs funding (through two FY2020 supplemental
has provided the majority of administered vaccine doses.
appropriations measures, P.L. 116-123 and P.L. 116-136;
Cuba has developed two vaccines and, as of August 4, had
the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, P.L. 116-260;
fully vaccinated 24% of its population.
and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, P.L. 117-2) to
help countries worldwide respond to COVID-19. The
Economic Impact
funding supports global health interventions, humanitarian
In the April 2021 update of its World Economic Outlook,
assistance, and contributions to multilateral efforts. For
the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimated the region
example, P.L. 116-260 included $4 billion as a contribution
registered a 7.0% economic contraction in 2020. Economic
to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which supports COVAX
recovery may be a protracted process in countries that rely
AMC and coordinates implementation of the COVAX
heavily on global trade and investment. Caribbean nations
Facility, both of which benefit Latin American and
that depend on tourism face deep economic recessions,
Caribbean countries. As of June 2021, the U.S. Agency for
several with estimated economic declines over 15% in
International Development had obligated nearly $218
2020. Several South American nations hard-hit by the
million to support the region’s pandemic response.
pandemic registered economic contractions over 10%. Most
Congress is now considering the Biden Administration’s
countries in the region are expected to begin recovery in
FY2022 budget request, which would provide nearly $2.1
2021, with the IMF projecting 5.8% regional economic
billion of aid to help the region recover from the pandemic
growth. The course of the pandemic, including
and address other challenges.
governments’ responses and vaccine availability and
distribution, is an important factor in the region’s recovery.
Some Members of Congress have called for President
Biden to prioritize Latin American and the Caribbean in
The economic contraction in 2020 increased poverty and
donating vaccines to countries in need. The Biden
exacerbated income inequality in the region. Latin America
Administration pledged to donate 580 million doses of
already was the most unequal region in the world in terms
COVID-19 vaccines globally through mid-2022, with a yet-
of income inequality, according to the U.N. Economic
to-be-determined amount for Latin American and
Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
Caribbean countries. The vaccines are to be provided
(ECLAC). A March 2021 ECLAC report estimated 22
bilaterally and through the COVAX Facility and COVAX
million people in Latin America moved into poverty in
AMC.
2020, with overall poverty rising to 33.7% of the region’s
population from 30.5% in 2019.
As of late July 2021, the United States had delivered 36
million vaccine doses to Latin American and Caribbean
Numerous countries in the region have implemented relief
countries, according to an Americas Society/Council of the
programs to help protect their economies and vulnerable
Americas donation tracker (at https://www.as-coa.org/
populations, but many have needed external financing to
articles/tracker-us-vaccine-donations-latin-america). The
address the pandemic and associated economic downturn.
top recipients of U.S.-donated vaccine doses to date are
In response, international financial institutions, including
Colombia (6 million); Guatemala (4.5 million); Mexico (4.1
the IMF, Inter-American Development Bank, and World
million); Argentina (3.5 million); Brazil, El Salvador, and
Bank, significantly increased lending to countries in the
Honduras (3 million each); Ecuador, Paraguay, and Peru (2
region.
million each), Bolivia (1 million), and Haiti, Panama, and
Uruguay (0.5 million each).
Political Impact
Even before the pandemic, public satisfaction with the
Some Members have argued for and against a proposal at
quality of democracy in several Latin American and
the World Trade Organization to waive intellectual property
Caribbean countries was eroding. Several broad political
rights for COVID-19 vaccines. In May 2021, the
and economic factors drove the decline and help explain the
Administration announced its support for negotiating such a
eruption of social protests in the region in 2019. Political
waiver due to the pandemic’s extraordinary circumstances.
factors include an increase in authoritarian practices, weak
The proposal has yet to be adopted, however, due to
democratic institutions, politicized judicial systems,
opposition from the European Union and others.
corruption, and high levels of crime and violence.
Mark P. Sullivan, Specialist in Latin American Affairs
Economic factors include stagnant or declining growth;
Peter J. Meyer, Specialist in Latin American and Canadian
high levels of inequality and poverty; and inadequate public
services, social safety net programs, and advancement
Affairs
opportunities. The pandemic exacerbated these factors,
IF11581
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Latin America and the Caribbean: Impact of COVID-19
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