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Updated May 4, 2022
Latin America and the Caribbean: Impact of COVID-19
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is
Advance Market Commitment (COVAX AMC), launched
having widespread economic, social, and political effects
by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to provide donor-funded
on Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). As of May 3,
vaccines for low- and middle-income economies.
2022, the region had nearly 1.7 million deaths (over 27% of
Table 1. COVID-19 Deaths, Mortality Rates, and
deaths worldwide). Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, and
Vaccinations in Latin American & Caribbean
Argentina had the region’s highest numbers of deaths.
(countries with more than 1,000 deaths, as of May 3, 2022)
Looking at deaths per 100,000 people, Peru had the highest
recorded COVID-19 mortality rate in the region, followed
Fully
by Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, and Trinidad and
Deaths per
Vaccinated
Tobago (see Table 1).
Country
Deaths
100,000
(percentage)
In its May 3, 2022, weekly epidemiological update on the
Brazil
663,838
312.31
76.91
pandemic, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)
reported that cases increased in the Caribbean and Central
Mexico
324,350
253.81
62.56
America compared with the previous week but decreased in
Peru
212,865
645.60
80.99
Mexico and South America. PAHO also reported that
deaths decreased in Mexico and Central America but
Colombia
139,797
274.74
69.60
increased in South America (driven by Brazil and Chile)
Argentina
128,653
284.66
82.28
and in the Caribbean; but PAHO noted that some reported
deaths in the Caribbean were historical deaths reclassified
Chile
57,541
301.01
91.29
as COVID-19 deaths.
Ecuador
35,598
201.77
78.55
Since the start of the pandemic, PAHO’s director has
Bolivia
21,923
187.81
49.98
expressed concern about the poor and other vulnerable
Paraguay
18,870
264.56
48.33
groups at greatest risk, including those living in the
Amazon Basin, particularly Indigenous communities;
Guatemala
17,613
98.31
33.93
women, who comprise 70% of the health workforce; people
of African descent; migrants in temporary settlements; and
Honduras
10,893
109.98
48.82
prisoners in crowded jails.
Cuba
8,527
75.28
87.77
According to PAHO, more than 66% of the population of
Costa Rica
8,405
164.99
80.18
Latin America and the Caribbean had been fully vaccinated
Panama
8,185
189.70
70.84
as of April 20, 2022. The World Health Organization has
set a goal for countries to achieve a 70% vaccination rate by
Uruguay
7,203
207.36
82.34
mid-2022. As of early May 2022, however, although nine
Venezuela
5,709
20.08
50.24
LAC countries had fully vaccinated over 70% of their
populations, four Caribbean countries—Haiti, Jamaica, St.
Dom. Rep.
4,376
40.34
54.92
Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines—had less than
El Salvador
4,128
63.64
66.27
30% fully vaccinated. Of these, the most concerning is
Haiti, which had just over 1% of its population fully
Trinidad &
3,833
273.89
50.81
vaccinated. Another eight LAC countries had fully
Tobago
vaccinated less than half of their populations. Vaccine
Jamaica
2,967
100.20
23.11
hesitancy has been a challenge in several countries.
Suriname
1,328
226.38
40.50
PAHO has helped countries prepare for vaccine rollout and
has facilitated access to vaccines through the COVID-19
Guyana
1,228
156.12
46.25
Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) Facility, a mechanism
Total LAC
1,691,707
—
—
developed by global health organizations to facilitate
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, May 3, 2022.
Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and
Note: Peru revised its official COVID-19 death tol in May 2021 to
the Grenadines—benefit from the COVID-19 Vaccines
account for excess deaths attributed to COVID-19 not previously
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
May 3, 2022, PAHO reported that almost 142 million
opportunities. The pandemic exacerbated these factors,
vaccine doses had been delivered or were in transit through
contributing to increased protests in the region in 2021,
COVAX, with 32 million doses provided through country
notably in Colombia, Cuba, and Brazil, and fueling anti-
donations, including from the United States. Many
incumbent sentiment in elections held throughout the
countries also have signed commercial agreements with
region. Human rights groups and other observers also have
pharmaceutical companies. Both China and Russia have
expressed concern about leaders taking advantage of the
largely sold, and in some cases donated, COVID-19
pandemic to advance their own agendas and restrict
vaccines to countries in the region, and the United States
freedom of 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 institutions 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 LAC countries.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reported a 7.0%
economic contraction for Latin America and the Caribbean
As of November 2021, the State Department and the U.S.
in 2020. Caribbean nations that depend on tourism had deep
Agency for International Development had provided more
economic recessions, several with estimated economic
than $614 million in COVID-19 supplemental and
declines over 13%. In 2021, many of the region’s
American Rescue Plan Act funding to help countries in the
economies began modest recoveries, with the IMF
region respond to the pandemic. This funding is in addition
estimating a regional growth rate of 6.8% and forecasting
to annual foreign assistant to the region funded through the
2.5% regional growth in 2022. Nevertheless, many
Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related
countries may struggle with protracted recoveries, given
Programs appropriations measure, some of which has been
that they rely on global investment, trade, and tourism, all
used to support pandemic recovery and support.
negatively affected by the pandemic. An important factor in
the region’s economic recovery is the course of the
The Biden Administration has pledged to donate over 1.2
pandemic, including governments’ responses and progress
billion COVID-19 vaccine doses globally, and some
on fully vaccinating countries’ populations.
Members of Congress have called for President Biden to
prioritize Latin America and the Caribbean in U.S.
The regional economic contraction in 2020 increased
donations. The vaccines are being provided bilaterally and
poverty and exacerbated income inequality. Latin America
through the COVAX Facility and COVAX AMC.
already was the most unequal region in the world in terms
of income. The U.N. Economic Commission for Latin
As of early May 2022, the United States had delivered
America and the Caribbean estimated that 17 million people
some 65 million vaccine doses to 29 LAC countries,
in Latin America moved into poverty in 2020, with poverty
according to the State Department (at
rising to 33.0% from 30.5% in 2019. With economic
https://www.state.gov/covid-19-recovery/vaccine-
growth rates increasing in 2021, poverty declined slightly to
deliveries/). Top recipients include Mexico (16.9 million);
32.1%. Many countries have implemented relief programs
Guatemala (8.5 million); Colombia (6 million); Brazil (5.2
to help protect their economies and vulnerable populations,
million); Bolivia (4.5 million); Honduras (4.0 million);
and many have needed external financing to do so. In
Argentina (3.5 million); El Salvador (3.2 million); Ecuador,
response, the IMF, Inter-American Development Bank, and
Paraguay, and Peru (2 million each); Costa Rica (1.5
World Bank have increased lending to the region.
million); Haiti (0.8 million); and Panama and Uruguay (0.5
million each). In August 2021, the State Department
Political Impact
announced it would donate nearly 5.5 million vaccine doses
Even before the pandemic, public satisfaction with the
to Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries; to date,
quality of democracy in several Latin American and
almost 3.3 million doses have been delivered, including 0.7
Caribbean countries was eroding. Several broad political
million to Trinidad and Tobago and 0.6 million to Jamaica.
and economic factors drove the decline and help explain the
If Haiti, a CARICOM country, is included, the donated
eruption of social protests in the region in 2019. Political
amount to CARICOM rises to 4.1 million doses.
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.
Peter J. Meyer, Specialist in Latin American and Canadian
Economic factors include stagnant or declining growth;
Affairs
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Latin America and the Caribbean: Impact of COVID-19
IF11581
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11581 · VERSION 25 · UPDATED