link to page 1 
Updated October 15, 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 October 14,
the Grenadines—are eligible to benefit from the COVID-19
2021, the region had 45.4 million confirmed cases (almost
Vaccines Advance Market Commitment (COVAX AMC),
19% of cases worldwide) and more than 1.5 million deaths
launched by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to provide donor-
(almost 31% 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 Oct. 14, 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 October 13,
100,000
(percentage)
2021, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)
reported that COVID-19 infections were declining in
Brazil
601,574
285.04
47.19
Central America, although cases remained high in Belize.
In South America, PAHO reported that new infections were
Mexico
282,773
221.65
38.87
dropping across the continent but noted some spikes within
Peru
199,746
614.41
40.53
countries, including the greater Caracas area of Venezuela
and Chile’s southernmost regions. In the Caribbean, PAHO
Colombia
126,726
251.74
37.38
reported that Barbados was experiencing the highest
Argentina
115,582
257.20
53.48
number of cases since the pandemic began, as well as
increased cases in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and some
Chile
37,578
198.28
75.20
smaller islands, including Antigua and Barbuda.
Ecuador
32,848
189.07
57.62
Since the start of the pandemic, PAHO’s director has
Bolivia
18,811
163.39
30.10
expressed concern about the poor and other vulnerable
Paraguay
16,207
230.06
28.37
groups at greatest risk, including those living in the
Amazon Basin, particularly Indigenous communities;
Guatemala
14,177
85.38
17.36
women, who comprise 70% of the health workforce; people
of African descent; migrants in temporary settlements; and
Honduras
10,064
103.26
25.46
prisoners in crowded jails.
Cuba
7,956
70.20
56.00
The rollout of vaccines has varied considerably, and there is
Panama
7,275
171.32
54.63
concern that widespread vaccine access in some countries
Costa Rica
6,744
133.61
47.17
could be delayed until late 2022 or 2023, making
populations vulnerable to new waves and more
Uruguay
6,065
175.20
75.14
transmittable variants of the virus. According to PAHO’s
Venezuela
4,652
16.31
21.71
director, as of October 13, 2021, 39% of the population of
Latin America and the Caribbean had been fully vaccinated,
Dom. Rep.
4,077
37.96
46.62
but in many countries the percentage was much lower.
El Salvador
3,420
52.99
55.51
Chile and Uruguay were leaders in the region, with 75% of
their populations fully vaccinated. In contrast, countries
Jamaica
2,053
69.63
11.09
with low vaccination rates of less than 20% as of October
Trinidad &
14 include Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Nicaragua, and St.
1,572
112.69
39.92
Tobago
Vincent and the Grenadines.
Total LAC
1,504,331
—
—
PAHO has helped countries prepare for vaccine rollout and
Sources: 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, Oct. 14, 2021.
equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines; 22 countries
For Cuba, the vaccination source is Josh Holder, “Tracking Coronavirus
in the region have signed agreements to access vaccines
Vaccinations Around the World,” New York Times, Oct. 14, 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
Economic factors include stagnant or declining growth;
account for excess deaths attributed to COVID-19 not previously
high levels of inequality and poverty; and inadequate public
counted, which tripled the country’s reported death toll.
services, social safety net programs, and advancement
Latin American and Caribbean countries have been
opportunities. The pandemic exacerbated these factors,
acquiring COVID-19 vaccines from a variety of sources. As
contributing to increased protests in the region since late
of October 14, PAHO reported that over 61 million doses
2020. In 2021, pandemic-related protests have erupted in
had been delivered or were in transit through COVAX.
several countries, notably in Colombia, Cuba, and Brazil.
Vaccine deliveries through COVAX have been slower than
Human rights groups and other observers also have
expected due to supply problems and other challenges.
expressed concern about leaders taking advantage of the
Many countries also have signed commercial agreements
pandemic to advance their own agendas and restrict
with pharmaceutical companies. Both China and Russia
freedom of expression.
have sold, and in some cases donated, COVID-19 vaccines
to countries in the region, and the United States ramped up
U.S. Policy Considerations
donations beginning in June 2021 (see below). In terms of
Congress has provided some $17 billion in international
COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing in the region, Cuba has
affairs funding (through two FY2020 supplemental
developed and produced two vaccines, two Brazilian
appropriations measures, P.L. 116-123 and P.L. 116-136;
companies have manufactured some COVID-19 vaccines,
the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, P.L. 116-260;
and two other companies from Brazil and Chile announced
and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, P.L. 117-2) to
plans to manufacture vaccines in 2022. In August 2021,
help countries worldwide respond to COVID-19. The
PAHO announced it would start a program to boost
funding supports global health interventions, humanitarian
COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing in the region.
assistance, and contributions to multilateral efforts. For
Economic Impact
example, P.L. 116-260 included $4 billion as a contribution
to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which supports COVAX
In the October 2021 update of its World Economic Outlook
AMC and coordinates implementation of the COVAX
Database, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reported
Facility, both of which benefit Latin American and
a 7.0% economic contraction for Latin America and the
Caribbean countries. As of June 2021, the U.S. Agency for
Caribbean in 2020. Caribbean nations that depend on
International Development had obligated nearly $218
tourism had deep economic recessions, several with
million to support the region’s pandemic response.
estimated economic declines over 15% in 2020. Several
Congress is now considering the Biden Administration’s
South American nations hard-hit by the pandemic
FY2022 budget request, which would provide nearly $2.1
registered economic contractions over 10%. Most countries
billion of aid to help the region recover from the pandemic
in the region are expected to begin recovery in 2021, with
and address other challenges.
the IMF projecting 6.3% regional economic growth. Yet,
economic recovery may be a protracted process in countries
Some Members of Congress have called for President
that rely heavily on global trade and investment. Moreover,
Biden to prioritize Latin America and the Caribbean in
the course of the pandemic, including governments’
donating COVID-19 vaccines. The Biden Administration
responses and vaccine availability and distribution, is an
has pledged to donate over 1.1 billion vaccine doses of
important factor in the region’s recovery.
globally. The vaccines are being provided bilaterally and
through the COVAX Facility and COVAX AMC.
The regional economic contraction in 2020 increased
poverty and exacerbated income inequality. Latin America
As of mid-October 2021, the United States had delivered
already was the most unequal region in the world in terms
over 44 million vaccine doses to 27 Western Hemisphere
of income. A March 2021 U.N. Economic Commission for
countries (including Canada), according to the State
Latin America and the Caribbean report estimated 22
Department (at https://www.state.gov/covid-19-recovery/
million people in Latin America moved into poverty in
vaccine-deliveries/#wha). Top recipients of the U.S.
2020, with poverty rising to 33.7% from 30.5% in 2019.
vaccine doses include Mexico (7.5 million); Colombia (6
million); Guatemala (4.5 million); Argentina (3.5 million);
Numerous countries in the region have implemented relief
Brazil, Honduras, and El Salvador (3 million each);
programs to help protect their economies and vulnerable
Paraguay, Peru, and Ecuador (2 million each); Bolivia (1
populations, and many have needed external financing to
million); and Costa Rica, Haiti, Panama, and Uruguay (0.5
address the pandemic and associated economic downturn.
million each). In August 2021, the State Department
In response, the IMF, Inter-American Development Bank,
announced it would donate nearly 5.5 million vaccine doses
and World Bank, significantly increased lending to
to Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries.
countries in the region.
Political Impact
Some Members have argued for and against a proposal at
the World Trade Organization to waive intellectual property
Even before the pandemic, public satisfaction with the
rights for COVID-19 vaccines. In May 2021, the
quality of democracy in several Latin American and
Administration announced its support for negotiating such a
Caribbean countries was eroding. Several broad political
waiver due to the pandemic’s extraordinary circumstances.
and economic factors drove the decline and help explain the
The proposal has yet to be adopted, however, due to
eruption of social protests in the region in 2019. Political
opposition from the European Union and others.
factors include an increase in authoritarian practices, weak
democratic institutions, politicized judicial systems,
Mark P. Sullivan, Specialist in Latin American Affairs
corruption, and high levels of crime and violence.
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 21 · UPDATED