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Updated January 21, 2022
Latin America and the Caribbean: Impact of COVID-19
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is
launched by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to provide donor-
having widespread economic, social, and political effects
funded vaccines for low- and middle-income economies.
on Latin America and the Caribbean. As of January 19,
Table 1. COVID-19 Deaths, Mortality Rates, and
2022, the region had almost 1.57 million deaths (28.2% of
Vaccinations in Latin American & Caribbean
deaths worldwide). Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, and
(countries with more than 1,000 deaths, as of Jan. 19, 2022)
Argentina had the region’s highest numbers of deaths.
Looking at deaths per 100,000 people, Peru had the highest
Fully
recorded COVID-19 mortality rate in the region, followed
Deaths per
Vaccinated
by Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and Paraguay (see Table
Country
Deaths
100,000
(percentage)
1).
Brazil
621,803
294.62
69.91
In its January 19, 2022, weekly press briefing on the
pandemic, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)
Mexico
301,469
236.31
59.42
reported that COVID-19 infections were increasing in most
Peru
203,645
626.40
68.69
countries in the region because of the Omicron variant. In
Central America, Panama, Costa Rica, and Honduras
Colombia
131,268
260.77
59.46
reported the highest numbers of new cases. Caribbean
Argentina
118,420
263.51
75.37
islands had the steepest increase in infections since the
pandemic began. Infections also were increasing throughout
Chile
39,427
208.04
88.57
South America. PAHO maintains that although Omicron
Ecuador
34,232
197.03
75.29
infections are milder, the virus spreads more easily and can
be lethal for the immunocompromised and the
Bolivia
20,291
176.24
43.29
unvaccinated.
Paraguay
16,844
239.10
43.22
Since the start of the pandemic, PAHO’s director has
Guatemala
16,191
97.51
30.28
expressed concern about the poor and other vulnerable
groups at greatest risk, including those living in the
Honduras
10,457
107.29
44.96
Amazon Basin, particularly Indigenous communities;
Cuba
8,345
73.63
86.22
women, who comprise 70% of the health workforce; people
of African descent; migrants in temporary settlements; and
Panama
7,545
177.68
58.58
prisoners in crowded jails.
Costa Rica
7,425
147.10
71.89
According to PAHO, as of January 19, 2022, more than
Uruguay
6,253
180.63
77.60
60% of the population of Latin America and the Caribbean
Venezuela
5,383
18.88
40.71
had been fully vaccinated. As of mid-January 2022, Chile,
Cuba, Uruguay, Argentina, and Ecuador were leaders in the
Dom. Rep.
4,269
39.75
53.52
region, with 75%-88% of their populations fully vaccinated
El Salvador
3,837
59.46
64.54
(with two doses), but 10 regional countries had vaccination
rates of less than 40%. The countries with the lowest
Trinidad &
3,224
231.12
48.75
vaccination rates were Haiti (less than 1%), Jamaica (20%),
Tobago
and St. Vincent and the Grenadines (almost 24%).
Jamaica
2,551
86.53
20.33
PAHO has helped countries prepare for vaccine rollout and
Suriname
1,221
210.02
39.80
has facilitated access to vaccines through the COVID-19
Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) Facility, a mechanism
Guyana
1,101
140.66
38.76
developed by global health organizations to facilitate
Total LAC
1,568,603
—
—
equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines; 22 countries
Sources: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Coronavirus
in the region have signed agreements to access vaccines
Resource Center, “Vaccination Progress Across the World,” at
through the facility. In addition, 10 countries in the
https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/international, and “Mortality
region—Bolivia, Dominica, El Salvador, Grenada, Guyana,
Analyses,” at https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/mortality, Jan. 19, 2022.
Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and
Note: Peru revised its official COVID-19 death toll in May 2021 to
the Grenadines—are eligible to benefit from the COVID-19
account for excess deaths attributed to COVID-19 not previously
Vaccines Advance Market Commitment (COVAX AMC),
counted, which tripled the country’s reported death toll.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Latin America and the Caribbean: Impact of COVID-19
Latin American and Caribbean countries have been
high levels of inequality and poverty; and inadequate public
acquiring COVID-19 vaccines from various sources. As of
services, social safety net programs, and advancement
January 20, 2022, PAHO reported that over 96 million
opportunities. The pandemic exacerbated these factors,
doses had been delivered or were in transit through
contributing to increased protests in the region since late
COVAX, with over 26 million doses provided through
2020. In 2021, pandemic-related protests erupted in several
country donations, including from the United States. Many
countries, notably in Colombia, Cuba, and Brazil. Human
countries also have signed commercial agreements with
rights groups and other observers also have expressed
pharmaceutical companies. Both China and Russia have
concern about leaders taking advantage of the pandemic to
largely sold, and in some cases donated, COVID-19
advance their own agendas and restrict freedom of
vaccines to countries in the region, and the United States
expression.
has ramped up donations since June 2021 (see below).
U.S. Policy Considerations
In terms of COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing in the region,
Congress has provided some $17 billion in international
Cuba’s biotech sector has developed and produced three
affairs funding (through two FY2020 supplemental
vaccines, two Brazilian companies and a partnership
appropriations measures, P.L. 116-123 and P.L. 116-136;
between Argentine and Mexican companies have
the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, P.L. 116-260;
manufactured some vaccines, and two companies from
and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, P.L. 117-2) to
Brazil and Chile announced plans to manufacture vaccines
help countries worldwide respond to COVID-19. The
in 2022. In August 2021, PAHO announced a program to
funding supports global health interventions, humanitarian
boost COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing in the region and
assistance, and contributions to multilateral efforts. For
subsequently selected biomedical centers in Argentina and
example, P.L. 116-260 included $4 billion as a contribution
Brazil to produce the vaccines.
to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which supports COVAX
AMC and coordinates implementation of the COVAX
Economic Impact
Facility, both of which benefit Latin American and
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reported a 7.0%
Caribbean countries. As of November 2021, the State
economic contraction for Latin America and the Caribbean
Department and the U.S. Agency for International
in 2020. Caribbean nations that depend on tourism had deep
Development had provided more than $614 million in
economic recessions, several with estimated economic
COVID-19 supplemental and American Rescue Plan Act
declines over 15% in 2020. Several South American nations
funding to help countries in the region respond to the
hard-hit by the pandemic registered economic contractions
pandemic. Congress continues to consider the Biden
over 10%. In 2021, many of the region’s economies began
Administration’s FY2022 budget request, which would
modest recoveries, with the IMF estimating a regional
provide nearly $2.1 billion of aid to help the region recover
growth rate of 6.3%. Nevertheless, many countries may
from the pandemic and address other challenges.
struggle with protracted recoveries, given that they rely on
global investment, trade, and tourism, all of which have
Some Members of Congress have called for President
been negatively affected by the pandemic. An important
Biden to prioritize Latin America and the Caribbean in
factor in the region’s economic recovery is the course of the
donating COVID-19 vaccines. The Biden Administration
pandemic, including governments’ responses and the
has pledged to donate over 1.2 billion vaccine doses
availability and distribution of vaccines.
globally. The vaccines are being provided bilaterally and
through the COVAX Facility and COVAX AMC. As of
The regional economic contraction in 2020 increased
January 17, 2022, the United States had delivered 60.2
poverty and exacerbated income inequality. Latin America
million vaccine doses to 30 Western Hemisphere countries
already was the most unequal region in the world in terms
(including Canada), according to the State Department (at
of income. A March 2021 U.N. Economic Commission for
https://www.state.gov/covid-19-recovery/vaccine-
Latin America and the Caribbean report estimated 22
deliveries/). Top recipients include Mexico (11 million);
million people in Latin America moved into poverty in
Guatemala (8.5 million); Colombia (6 million); Brazil (5.2
2020, with poverty rising to 33.7% from 30.5% in 2019.
million); Honduras (3.9 million); Argentina (3.5 million);
Many countries have implemented relief programs to help
El Salvador and Bolivia (3.2 million each); Ecuador,
protect their economies and vulnerable populations, and
Paraguay, and Peru (2 million each); Haiti (0.6 million);
many have needed external financing to do so. In response,
and Costa Rica, Panama, and Uruguay (0.5 million each).
the IMF, Inter-American Development Bank, and World
In August 2021, the State Department announced it would
Bank have increased lending to the region.
donate nearly 5.5 million vaccine doses to Caribbean
Community (CARICOM) countries; to date, almost 3
Political Impact
million doses have been delivered.
Even before the pandemic, public satisfaction with the
quality of democracy in several Latin American and
Some Members have argued for and against a proposal at
Caribbean countries was eroding. Several broad political
the World Trade Organization to waive intellectual property
and economic factors drove the decline and help explain the
rights for COVID-19 vaccines. In May 2021, the
eruption of social protests in the region in 2019. Political
Administration announced its support for negotiating such a
factors include an increase in authoritarian practices, weak
waiver due to the pandemic’s extraordinary circumstances.
democratic institutions, politicized judicial systems,
The proposal is backed by more than 100 countries but has
corruption, and high levels of crime and violence.
yet to be adopted, due to opposition from the European
Economic factors include stagnant or declining growth;
Union and others.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Latin America and the Caribbean: Impact of COVID-19
Peter J. Meyer, Specialist in Latin American and Canadian
Mark P. Sullivan, Specialist in Latin American Affairs
Affairs
IF11581
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11581 · VERSION 24 · UPDATED