link to page 1 link to page 1 
Updated September 3, 2021
Latin America and the Caribbean: Impact of COVID-19
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is
region—Bolivia, Dominica, El Salvador, Grenada, Guyana,
having widespread economic, social, and political effects
Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and
on Latin America and the Caribbean. As of September 1,
the Grenadines—are eligible to benefit from the COVID-19
2021, the region had 43.3 million confirmed cases (almost
Vaccines Advance Market Commitment (COVAX AMC),
21% of cases worldwide) and more than 1.4 million deaths
launched by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to provide donor-
(almost 32% of deaths worldwide). Brazil, Mexico, Peru,
funded vaccines for low- and middle-income economies.
Colombia, and Argentina had the region’s highest numbers
Table 1. COVID-19 Deaths, Mortality Rates, and
of deaths. Looking at mortality (death) rates per 100,000
Vaccinations in Latin American & Caribbean
population, Peru had the highest recorded COVID-19
(countries with more than 1,000 deaths, as of Sept. 1, 2021)
mortality rate in the region, followed by Brazil, Argentina,
Colombia, and Paraguay (see Table 1).
Fully
Deaths per
Country
Deaths
Vaccinated
In its weekly press briefing on the pandemic on August 25,
100,000
(percentage)
2021, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)
reported that COVID-19 infections continued across Latin
Brazil
580,413
275.01
29.10
America and the Caribbean, with Mexico and Brazil having
the highest number of cases and many Central American
Mexico
259,326
203.27
26.59
countries experiencing a rise in infections. Although
Peru
198,263
609.84
25.10
hospitalizations were decreasing in much of South America,
PAHO reported that infections remained high. In the
Colombia
124,945
248.20
29.17
Caribbean, PAHO reported steep increases in new
Argentina
111,812
248.81
32.02
infections and deaths in Jamaica and some smaller islands,
such as Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. In its
Chile
36,937
194.9
72.06
September 1 briefing, PAHO noted high rates of infection
Ecuador
32,244
185.59
49.28
in Belize, Costa Rica, St. Lucia, and Suriname.
Bolivia
18,452
160.27
23.04
Since the start of the pandemic, PAHO’s director has
Paraguay
15,767
223.82
23.59
expressed concern about the poor and other vulnerable
groups at greatest risk, including those living in the
Guatemala
11,926
71.83
7.21
Amazon Basin, particularly Indigenous communities;
women, who comprise 70% of the health workforce; people
Honduras
8,850
90.81
13.42
of African descent; migrants in temporary settlements; and
Panama
7,061
166.28
38.45
prisoners in crowded jails.
Uruguay
6,032
174.25
72.46
The rollout of vaccines has varied considerably, and there is
Costa Rica
5,506
109.08
24.16
concern that widespread vaccine access in some countries
could be delayed until 2022 or 2023, making populations
Cuba
5,303
46.79
33.00
vulnerable to new waves and more transmittable variants of
Venezuela
4,010
14.06
11.70
the virus. According to PAHO’s director, as of September
1, 2021, 25% of the population of Latin America and the
Dom. Rep.
4,008
37.32
43.38
Caribbean had been fully vaccinated. Chile and Uruguay
El Salvador
2,918
45.22
42.74
were leaders in the region, with 72% of their populations
fully vaccinated. In contrast, countries with less than 10%
Jamaica
1,518
51.49
4.90
of their populations fully vaccinated included Guatemala,
Trinidad &
Jamaica, Nicaragua, and Haiti, which had less than 0.1% of
1,291
92.55
28.61
Tobago
its population fully vaccinated (See Table 1.)
Total LAC
1,439,648
—
—
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,” at https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/mortality, Sept. 1, 2021.
equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines; 22 countries
For Cuba, the vaccination data source is Josh Holder, “Tracking
in the region have signed agreements to access vaccines
Coronavirus Vaccinations Around the World,” New York Times, Sept. 1,
2021.
through the facility. In addition, 10 countries in the
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Latin America and the Caribbean: Impact of COVID-19
Note: Peru revised its official COVID-19 death toll in May 2021 to
high levels of inequality and poverty; and inadequate public
account for excess deaths attributed to COVID-19 not previously
services, social safety net programs, and advancement
counted, which tripled the country’s reported death toll.
opportunities. The pandemic exacerbated these factors,
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 September 1, PAHO reported that over 36 million doses
several countries, notably in Colombia, Cuba, and Brazil.
had been delivered or were in transit through COVAX.
Human rights groups and other observers also have
Vaccine deliveries through COVAX have been slower than
expressed concern about leaders taking advantage of the
expected due to supply problems and other challenges.
pandemic to advance their own agendas and restrict
Many countries also have signed commercial agreements
freedom of expression.
with pharmaceutical companies. Both China and Russia
have sold, and in some cases donated, COVID-19 vaccines
U.S. Policy Considerations
to countries in the region, and the United States ramped up
Congress has provided some $17 billion in international
donations beginning in June 2021 (see below). In terms of
affairs funding (through two FY2020 supplemental
COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing in the region, Cuba has
appropriations measures, P.L. 116-123 and P.L. 116-136;
developed and produced two vaccines, two Brazilian
the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, P.L. 116-260;
companies have manufactured some COVID-19 vaccines,
and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, P.L. 117-2) to
and two other companies from Brazil and Chile announced
help countries worldwide respond to COVID-19. The
plans to manufacture vaccines in 2022. In August 2021,
funding supports global health interventions, humanitarian
PAHO announced it would start a program to boost
assistance, and contributions to multilateral efforts. For
COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing in the region.
example, P.L. 116-260 included $4 billion as a contribution
Economic Impact
to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which supports COVAX
AMC and coordinates implementation of the COVAX
In the July 2021 update of its World Economic Outlook, the
Facility, both of which benefit Latin American and
International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimated the region
Caribbean countries. As of June 2021, the U.S. Agency for
registered a 7.0% economic contraction in 2020. Economic
International Development had obligated nearly $218
recovery may be a protracted process in countries that rely
million to support the region’s pandemic response.
heavily on global trade and investment. Caribbean nations
Congress is now considering the Biden Administration’s
that depend on tourism face deep economic recessions,
FY2022 budget request, which would provide nearly $2.1
several with estimated economic declines over 15% in
billion of aid to help the region recover from the pandemic
2020. Several South American nations hard-hit by the
and address other challenges.
pandemic registered economic contractions over 10%. Most
countries in the region are expected to begin recovery in
Some Members of Congress called for President Biden to
2021, with the IMF projecting 5.8% regional economic
prioritize Latin America and the Caribbean in donating
growth. The course of the pandemic, including
governments’ responses and vaccine
vaccines to countries in need. The Biden Administration
availability and
pledged to donate 580 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines
distribution, is an important factor in the region’s recovery.
globally through mid-2022, with a yet-to-be-determined
amount for Latin American and Caribbean countries. The
The regional economic contraction in 2020 increased
vaccines are being provided bilaterally and through the
poverty and exacerbated income inequality. Latin America
COVAX Facility and COVAX AMC.
already was the most unequal region in the world in terms
of income. A March 2021 U.N. Economic Commission for
As of late August 2021, the United States had delivered 40
Latin America and the Caribbean report estimated 22
million vaccine doses to 26 Latin American and Caribbean
million people in Latin America moved into poverty in
countries, according to the State Department (at
2020, with poverty rising to 33.7% from 30.5% in 2019.
https://www.state.gov/covid-19-recovery/vaccine-
deliveries/#wha). Top recipients of the U.S. vaccine doses
Numerous countries in the region have implemented relief
include Colombia (6 million), Mexico (5.8 million);
programs to help protect their economies and vulnerable
Guatemala (4.5 million); Argentina (3.5 million); Brazil,
populations, and many have needed external financing to
Honduras, and El Salvador (3 million each); Paraguay,
address the pandemic and associated economic downturn.
Peru, and Ecuador (2 million each); Bolivia (1 million); and
In response, the IMF, Inter-American Development Bank,
Costa Rica, Haiti, Panama, and Uruguay (0.5 million each).
and World Bank, significantly increased lending to
In August 2021, the State Department announced it would
countries in the region.
donate nearly 5.5 million vaccine doses to Caribbean
Political Impact
Community (CARICOM) countries.
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.
Economic factors include stagnant or declining growth;
Mark P. Sullivan, Specialist in Latin American Affairs
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Latin America and the Caribbean: Impact of COVID-19
IF11581
Peter J. Meyer, Specialist in Latin American and Canadian
Affairs
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the
United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11581 · VERSION 20 · UPDATED