SPRING 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the countries of the Southern Cone and Brazil, exacerbating pre-existing inequalities and creating economic, social and political challenges. In general, the vaccination campaigns in the subregion have been strong. All countries have begun the administration of third and fourth dose booster shots, although only Chile and Uruguay are offering the 4th dose to the general population. Chile and Argentina have also begun vaccinating children ages 3 to 11 while the other countries in the subregion are vaccinating children ages 5 and older. There has been a focus on vaccine production, with Brazil and Argentina manufacturing a variety of vaccines including AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Sputnik V. Chile is set to begin packaging Sinovac within the next year, and Uruguay will open a Moderna distribution hub. The goal is to decrease dependency on other nations by developing the subregion’s capacity not only for the production but also development of vaccines. 

Despite the success of the vaccination campaigns, the Omicron variant resulted in record high COVID-19 cases in early 2022. While these numbers have peaked in all countries, the Omicron subvariant BA.2 has the potential to cause a 4th wave, as evidenced by a recent rise in case numbers. However, governments in the region have emphasized that while the pandemic is not over, the focus should be on easing back to post-pandemic life. As a result, states have eased health protection measures, with several rescinding the public health emergencies they first announced in March 2020. 

COVID-19 policy making continues to have implications on governance and leadership in the region. Chile’s President Gabriel Boric’s approval rating has decreased dramatically, partly due to the removal of pandemic state aid, and President Jair Bolsonaro’s mismanagement of the pandemic will be a factor in Brazil’s October presidential elections. As countries focus on their post-pandemic economic recovery, their policy making faces a challenge in balancing the need for fiscal responsibility with continued calls for increased social spending. This situation is further complicated by rising inflation, which ranges from 9.4% in Uruguay to almost 60% in Argentina. In addition to the focus on managing inflation, many countries have invested in job creation, and several have registered large increases in employment. 

The impact of rising food and fuel prices has been felt especially among the poor. Poverty, inequality and the concentration of wealth were all exacerbated by COVID-19. Other social repercussions of the pandemic include education, gender based violence and women’s employment. All countries in the sub-region have resumed in-person learning. However, the effects of months of virtual learning have affected children’s educational attainment, mental health, and social skills. Women have faced increased domestic violence, large amounts of unrecognized and unpaid labor, and a lack of economic integration.

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Jump to key trends for each rubric:

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Key trends for Governance and the Rule of Law

After record-breaking cases due to the Omicron variant, countries have eased many of the pandemic health protection measures, as the region continues to be a leader in vaccination. Additionally, the policies created to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic will have implications for future governance in the region.

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Key trends for Growth and Innovation

Brazil and the Southern Cone are prioritizing economic recovery and addressing the economic conditions exacerbated by COVID-19 by focusing on tackling rising inflation, reducing public spending and promoting  job creation. Additionally, Brazil and the Southern Cone continue their efforts to increase vaccine production and distribution to the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean.   

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Key trends for Social and Cultural Inclusion

Providing for the needs of all sectors of the population during the COVID-19 pandemic has proven to be a challenge, and its impact has been fallen inequitably based upon gender and class lines. Additionally, educational loss during the pandemic may impact the future generation for years to come.

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What to Watch: 

Even as vaccination campaigns continue to be carried out successfully, with most countries offering third and fourth doses, COVID-19 cases continue to rise due to the spread of the BA.2 subvariant of Omicron. Therefore, it will be important to track the continued inoculation of children and other vulnerable groups, as they become available for additional booster doses. Additionally, it will be important to pay close attention to the evolution of sanitary protocols within schools and other public spaces, as the BA.2 subvariant continues to propagate or as other variants emerge. It will be critical for governments to continuously assess the epidemiological situations of their respective countries and implement new health policies accordingly, especially as the approach of the winter months promises an increase of co-circulation with other viruses.

The tourism season promoted economic growth within the subregion, by stimulating local economies and providing thousands of jobs. However, now economic recovery must focus on controlling the record high inflation rates throughout the region. It will be critical to monitor what monetary policy central banks implement and what measures governments promote not only to reduce inflation but also to provide socio economic stability to the most vulnerable sectors of the population. It will be equally important to monitor the governments’ efforts to boost trade, and attract foreign direct investment. Similarly, it will be crucial for governments to continue promoting economic recovery by supporting job creation across all sectors. Efforts to balance economic recovery measures with growing demands for social assistance programs will affect governments’ policy decisions. Therefore it will be important to track what kinds of policies governments prioritize, and the sociopolitical tensions that might arise as a result. In addition to the effects COVID-19 has had on the economies of the Southern Cone, Russia’s war on Ukraine will further increase world commodity prices, therefore exacerbating rising rates of inflation. Despite being  important exporters of oil in the region, the countries of the Southern Cone will be affected as importers of oil from Russia and wheat from Ukraine. Countries in the subregion will have to continue adjusting their monetary policy to reduce inflation while paying close attention to the disproportionate effects of rising consumer prices on vulnerable sectors of society, amid demands for increasing social assistance. 

More than ever, it is critical to monitor the development, production and packaging of vaccines in the subregion and which countries join the efforts led by Argentina, Brazil and Chile. The production of these new vaccines could generate more cooperation within the Southern Cone, and could potentially fill the gaps where COVAX has fallen behind. Keeping track of this process will provide some insight into the evolution of vaccine diplomacy and the potential future effects of the relationships that are formed between countries. Chile took the first steps by sending existing vaccine doses to Paraguay. Similarly, Argentina has agreed to donate  more than one million doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines to Mozambique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Vietnam and Dominica. Meanwhile, Uruguay has extended vaccination to tourists. Equally noteworthy is the future relationships between the subregion, Russia and China, who have taken on the role of supportive allies. As the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which funds Sputnik V production, faces sanctions by the US government, and the World Health Organization postpones its evaluation of the Sputnik V vaccine, it will be important to monitor the effect that Russia’s war on Ukraine has on the distribution and production of the Russian vaccine within Brazil and the Southern Cone. 

The effects of COVID-19 have also impacted the role and influence of the United States’, as they were initially focused on domestic distribution of vaccines, but have since demonstrated more collaboration with the Latin American region. The Summit of the Americas in June, presents an important opportunity for the United States and Latin America to come together to discuss inter-regional trade, management of COVID-19, and  post-pandemic economic recovery, amongst other issues. As countries begin to announce whether or not they will attend in response to the exclusion of certain Latin American countries from the Summit, it will be vital to evaluate the long term effects of the results of the Summit on the economic recovery of the region.

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FALL 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the countries of the Southern Cone and Brazil, exacerbating pre-existing inequalities and creating economic, social and political challenges. In general, the vaccination campaigns in the subregion have been strong. All countries have begun the administration of booster shots. Chile and Argentina have also begun vaccinating children ages 3 to 11, and Uruguay plans to begin vaccinating this group in January. The subregion is focusing on ensuring equitable access to vaccines in Latin America and decreasing dependency on other nations by investing in the local development and manufacturing of vaccines. 

In response to falling case numbers and deaths, countries have begun to ease health restrictions and mask mandates. However, the Omicron variant may reverse this trend, as several countries have announced increased entry restrictions.The new variant may threaten the region’s pandemic recovery, particularly in the tourism industry. All countries have been focused on supporting this sector through travel campaigns and other economic incentives. 

The government’s management of the pandemic in Argentina resulted in a loss of power for the Frente de Todos coalition. Chile’s upcoming presidential elections may also shape the country’s economic future and subsequent economic recovery plans. The Brazilian Senate’s recommendation that President Bolsonaro be charged with crimes against humanity for his response to the pandemic will likely have a large impact on the October 2022 election as well. From the economic front, governments have had to respond to growing inflation. While Argentina easily tops the region at over 50% inflation, no country has been immune to the rising price of consumer goods and the pandemic’s continued impact on the poor.

Consequently, the social repercussions of the pandemic have been felt throughout the region. Governments have failed to provide services and protection to indigenous communities amid violence and land invasions. Women have faced increased domestic violence, large amounts of unrecognized and unpaid labor, and a lack of economic integration. Finally, children’s long absence from school has had a disproportionate impact on low-income families.

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Key trends for Governance and the Rule of Law

The vaccination campaigns in Brazil and the Southern Cone have been largely successful and have permitted the reopening of many aspects of society. At the same time, COVID-19 has the potential to impact greatly upcoming elections and the political future of the region.

Impact of COVID-19 on Elections

COVID-19 has served as fodder for political debates, and upcoming elections may be determined by the incumbent government’s response to the pandemic. Argentina’s ruling Frente de Todos, who has received backlash for President Fernández’s restrictive lockdown policies, lost their Senate majority in November. This is the first time that the Peronist party has lost its Senate majority since 1983.  In Brazil, a Senate Commission has recommended President Bolsonaro be charged with crimes against humanity for his mismanagement of the pandemic. These accusations may impact the October 2022 elections, with Bolsonaro polling significantly below the probable left-wing candidate. Chile’s December presidential runoff elections will occur simultaneously with the rewriting of their constitution. The two candidates offer distinctively different visions for Chile’s future. Thus, the elections will demonstrate if the pandemic has quelled or exacerbated Chileans desire for change after the country was rocked by social unrest in 2019. In October, Paraguay conducted their first elections since the pandemic began. The municipal elections, which were characterized by high levels of political violence, did not ultimately punish the ruling Colorado party despite protests against their pandemic response and lack of access to vaccines. 

COVID-19 Vaccination Campaigns

The vaccination campaigns in the Southern Cone and Brazil have been overall successful, with the region reporting some of the highest rates of vaccination in Latin America. Chile and Uruguay have been global leaders in vaccination, each reporting over 75% of their population fully vaccinated. Brazil, who has faced scandals regarding the procurement of vaccines, has fully vaccinated 65% of its population, and Argentina has reached 66% of its population. Paraguay registers the lowest vaccination rate in the region, with 37.5% fully vaccinated. Their vaccination campaign was initially stalled due to difficulties procuring vaccines, but now has slowed due to low turnout at vaccination sites. All countries in the region have begun to administer booster vaccines for the general population, and vaccinations have expanded to children. Chile and Argentina are vaccinating children ages 3 and up. Meanwhile Uruguay has begun vaccinating children between the ages of 12 and 18, and will begin to vaccinate children between the ages of 3 and 11 in January 2022. Brazil and Paraguay are vaccinating children 12 and older. Uruguay has also announced that tourists may receive booster vaccines and that children under 18 can receive their full vaccination scheme while visiting the country. 

Gradual Reopening of Countries and Response to Omicron Variant

After experiencing a deadly wave of COVID-19, the Southern Cone and Brazil have reported a dramatic reduction in cases and deaths due to the expansion of vaccine campaigns. Consequently, many countries have begun to gradually reduce or remove their health restrictions. In October, Chile announced the end of a curfew that began in March 2020.  All countries have increased capacity limits and announced the resumption of social and cultural activities. Digital vaccination cards as a means to participate in public activities have been implemented to varying degrees in the region. Chile requires those 12 and up to use a mobility pass as well as 240 cities in Brazil. Argentina is in the initial stages of implementing their mobility pass.  The Omicron variant may prompt new health restrictions as countries in the Southern Cone and Brazil reevaluate their epidemiological situations. Chile, Brazil and Paraguay have already closed their borders to travel from Southern Africa, and Argentina announced a mandatory quarantine for travelers arriving from this region. 

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Key trends for Growth and Innovation

Brazil and the Southern Cone are attempting to address the economic challenges that have been exacerbated by COVID-19.  In anticipation of the COVID-19 recovery, the countries in the subregion are focusing on targeting rising inflation amongst other factors that are hindering economic recovery, including boosting the economic productivity of key sectors like tourism.

Supporting Tourism

With the exception of  Paraguay, all countries are requiring visitors to present proof of vaccination upon entry. In addition, all countries are requiring a negative PCR test prior to their arrival.  These protocols are subject to change given the emergence of the Omicron variant. Uruguay and Brazil are expecting large revenues and the creation of thousands of jobs with the arrival of cruise ships on their coasts. Other countries are relying on tourism campaigns to promote domestic and international tourism. Countries are also providing economic incentives for tourists and business owners. In Uruguay, foreigners will be reimbursed the value added tax on certain tourism services, while in Paraguay credit lines and loan restructuring are being offered to businesses in the tourism industry. Given the high vaccination rates within the subregion, this summer is expected to be a high tourism season that promises to promote economic growth and recovery. Yet it will be important to monitor the rate of COVID-19 cases, especially given the emergence of the new Omicron variant. Chile has already begun closing its land borders and implementing strict vaccination approvals for tourists; the tourism industry claims that these restrictive policies will result in a loss of $1.2 billion. 

Regional Vaccine Production

Three countries in the Southern Cone have committed themselves to increasing the supply and accessibility of vaccines in Latin America, through a vaccine production program led by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and independent agreements with laboratories. The PAHO selected the Bio-Manguinhos Institute of Technology on Immunobiologicals and the pharmaceutical company mAbxience, to produce mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, in Brazil and Argentina respectively. In addition, the Argentine pharmaceutical company Laboratorios Richmond has already produced more than 10 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine and Brazil has signed an agreement with Pfizer to produce the Comirnaty vaccine through Eurofarma Laboratórios SA. Similarly, in an effort to increase their vaccine autonomy Chile has partnered with the Italian pharmaceutical company Reithera to produce the Reithera vaccine and will also set up a plant to produce Sinovac doses. These efforts to produce vaccines in the region not only present an opportunity to increase the overall supply of COVID-19 vaccines in the region but also promise to facilitate collaboration and the sharing of vaccine technology to establish the region as a hub for future vaccine production, as the countries receive training on the production and manufacturing of vaccines from their partners.

Inflation Threatens Pandemic Recovery 

The emerging economic recovery the subregion is experiencing coupled with local factors have further accelerated already increasing inflation. The primary response to contain rising inflation has been a gradual increase of interest rates. The Banco Central do Brasil has raised the interest rate to 7.75% and is expected to raise it to 9.25% by the end of 2021. Despite multiple increases through the past couple of months, Brazil is currently experiencing an inflation rate of 10.7%. The Central Bank of Chile has raised their overnight rate to 2.75%, and the Central Bank of Paraguay has recently raised the overnight interest rate to 4%, yet both countries have reached inflation levels of 6.7%  and 6.8% respectively. Argentina is the country in the Southern Cone experiencing the highest inflation which has already surpassed 50%. The stress on economies from rising inflation threatens the promising predictions of macroeconomic growth throughout Brazil and the Southern Cone during 2022. Despite efforts to reduce the price of consumer goods through the gradual increases of interest rates, limits on exports and price freezes, the rapid rise of inflation continues to affect consumption and the daily lives of people in the subregion. 

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Key Trends for Social and Cultural Inclusion

Providing for the needs of vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic has proven to be a challenge. Women, children and indigenous groups face particular difficulties. 

Gendered Impact of the Pandemic and Policy Responses

The pandemic has shown in an even greater light that the formal economy and daily life are supported by the oftentimes invisible unpaid labor from women and girls. These unpaid tasks have increased throughout the pandemic, as women and girls are expected to care for the sick, take on increased child care duties and provide education at home. As a result, youth and women’s unemployment rates have increased dramatically. Women are often employed in the sectors most affected by the pandemic and are overrepresented in the informal sector, making it difficult for them to access state aid. The pandemic has resulted in an increase in gender based violence due to more time spent at home, difficulty accessing services, and women’s increased economic vulnerability. Policies and services should address the intersection of race, class and gender, as women of color and black transgender women are disproportionately affected by gender based violence. Governments have responded by introducing policies with a gender perspective. For example, Uruguay is promoting women’s access to and control over rural resources. Argentina has been highlighted by the United Nations for its gender-sensitive COVID-19 response including state transfers and access to improved housing targeting women. 

Impact of COVID-19 on Education

The challenges and limitations brought on by COVID-19 have forced education systems across the region to reimagine pedagogical strategies as they transition to various forms of virtual learning. The changes that the education systems have gone through, as they attempt to transition to virtual learning, have highlighted increasing inequalities in access to education. Research professors from the Federal University of Minas Gerais in Brazil highlight how ​​the suspension of in person classes affects the cognitive, motor, social and language skills that are vital to development within the first 6 years of childhood. During COVID-19, the closing of schools have had a disproportionate effect on children from low-income homes due to a lack of technology access, an increase in food insecurity and decreased access to medical care and mental health resources.  In addition, the decrease in the quality of education has led to an increase in youth unemployment in Chile and Paraguay. However, online learning has also had positive effects, especially for women who have been able to continue their education while completing care and domestic responsibilities. 

Indigenous Rights

Indigenous communities have faced many challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Chilean, Brazilian and Paraguayan governments being criticized for their failure to implement a comprehensive response to assist indigenous peoples. A lack of access to healthcare, potable water, and food during the pandemic has made these already vulnerable communities even more at risk during the pandemic. In addition, illegal mining and deforestation have continued or increased in many countries, resulting in violence against indigenous peoples, forced evictions from their native territories and increased exposure to COVID-19. In Chile, the conflicts between the police force and the Mapuche indigenous people have resulted in President Piñera declaring a state of emergency and sending the armed forces to the region. Brazil’s President Bolsonaro was originally accused of genocide against the indigenous peoples of Brazil in regards to the government’s COVID-19 response. While these charges did not move forward, the Senate report states that the government’s actions during the pandemic deliberately went against the rights of indigenours peoples. 

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What to Watch:

2021 started with a focus on the implementation of vaccination campaigns and the reopening of schools. Given the successful progress of the vaccination campaigns, most countries in Brazil and the Southern cone have now shifted their focus towards administering booster shots for all adults and vaccinating children between the ages of 3 and 18. It will be important to track what strategies governments implement to facilitate the vaccination of children and other vulnerable groups ahead of the changes expected with the emergence of the Omicron variant. The return to school in 2022 will be impacted by the effects of the summer tourism season and the degree to which the Omicron variant propagates throughout the subregion. Therefore it will be important to track what measures governments take to ensure continued in person learning including school based vaccination campaigns. 

The tourism season promises to boost economic growth within the subregion, by stimulating local economies and providing thousands of jobs. However, now with the emergence of the Omicron variant  it will be crucial to track how sanitation protocols evolve and what additional precautions governments take to prevent a rise in COVID-19 cases. Therefore, it will be critical for governments to continuously assess the epidemiological situations of their respective countries. This will allow them to determine whether tourism is having a positive impact on their economies or if additional precautions are necessary in order to address the Omicron variant. These actions may include stricter entry requirements for travelers, partial or complete closure of land borders, and the implementation of digital mobility passes. 

It is critical to monitor the development and production of vaccines in the region and which countries join the efforts led by Argentina, Brazil and Chile. The production of these new vaccines could generate more cooperation within the Southern Cone, and could potentially fill the gaps where COVAX has fallen behind. Keeping track of this process will provide some insight into the evolution of vaccine diplomacy and the potential future effects of the relationships that are formed between countries. Chile has taken the first steps by sending existing vaccine doses to Paraguay. Similarly, Argentina has agreed to donate  more than one million doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines to Mozambique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Vietnam and Dominica. Meanwhile, Uruguay has extended vaccination to tourists. Equally noteworthy is the future relationships between the subregion, Russia and China, who have taken on the role of supportive allies. The United States’ influence may also be impacted, as they were initially focused on domestic distribution of vaccines, but have since demonstrated more collaboration with the Latin American region. 

Despite the successful progression of the vaccination campaigns, the subregion is still at risk of new variants or a surge in COVID-19 cases during the upcoming summer months. Additionally, as countries begin working towards post-pandemic recovery plans, it will be vital to track what efforts governments make to prioritize the inclusion of vulnerable sectors of the population that have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19.  Although boosting tourism promises to increase economic activity, the countries in the Southern Cone must focus more than ever on addressing inequality, rising inflation, rates of unemployment and other factors that hinder economic recovery.

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SUMMER 2021

For the first time since January, Brazil’s seven-day average of COVID-19 deaths has dropped below 1,000, yet the country maintains the second-highest death toll in the world, after the United States. Despite the recent drop in infections, health experts are warning that a new surge could be on the way due to the rapid spread of the highly contagious Delta variant. President Jair Bolsonaro, a coronavirus sceptic, continues to downplay the seriousness of the virus in the midst of public pressures to hold him accountable for his handling of the crisis. Such public outrage has resulted in protests in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, demanding the president’s impeachment given his anti-science stances and refusal to close the economy, despite public health and safety.

In April, a Senate commission opened an investigation into how Bolsonaro tackled the pandemic, including whether his government used the pandemic for political gain and whether his administration demonstrated negligence in its efforts to buy COVID-19 vaccines. Bolsonaro is also being investigated by Brazil’s federal Prosecutor General for failing to respond to irregularities that arose from the purchase of vaccines from India’s COVAXIN and also faces allegations that he was involved in a scheme to cut his aides’ salaries when he served as a federal deputy. Both, the federal and Senate, ongoing investigations have focused on the role of Health Ministry officials in buying vaccines through intermediaries, rather than directly from producers, which resulted in a crooked deal with high prices, speedy talks, and pending regulatory approvals.

Chile has been exemplary in its vaccine distribution program, with only a quarter of the population not having received any vaccines at all. They achieved this by receiving vaccine doses from a variety of countries, including China, the United States, and soon, Russia. This has allowed for an important loosening of pandemic restrictions, and the country signals that it is ready to go back to normal while continuing to take the appropriate precautions. Most important of all Chilean developments is the clear tendency of breaking with past politics, which had developed under the shadow of the Pinochet dictatorship, leaving vulnerable groups like women, members of the LGBTQI+ community and indigenous people behind. The newly formed Constitutional Convention, made up of a historic group of diverse Chileans, will usher in new policies that allow for more popular political participation. 

Paraguay’s pandemic management performance continues to be less than adequate, even 16 months after the initial cases were reported. Vaccination in particular is lagging behind, as contracts with Chinese pharmaceutical companies fall apart due to “geopolitics” and Paraguay must rely on the donations and grants made by other countries. It will be important to watch how new funds from the IMF pouring into the country will be used to strengthen the healthcare system and assist the most vulnerable citizens in the pandemic recovery process. 

Despite COVID-19 cases spiking in the spring and early summer, Uruguay has drastically lowered case counts. The country has implemented a comprehensive vaccine plan to reach as many residents as possible. As of August 1st, 63.5% of the country is fully vaccinated and 72.75% have received at least one dose. Throughout the pandemic Uruguay has followed a trust-centric approach in which stay-at-home behaviors were encouraged by not legally mandated. The country has continued this approach with the vaccine. While the government has implemented programs to make the vaccine available to as many people as possible, it is not mandatory. Going forward, it will be important to watch if vaccination rates can reach high enough levels without a mandate to create widespread immunity. 

COVID-19 cases in Argentina have been steadily declining since the start of June, but the country still lags behind in vaccinations. Only 14.4% of the population is fully vaccinated, partially due to delays in receiving promised second doses of the Sputnik V vaccine. Unlike other vaccines, the first and second doses of the Sputnik vaccine are not interchangeable, so many people who were able to receive the first dose were left unprotected when the second doses were not delivered. The Delta variant has raised concern and cities are implementing strict contact tracing procedure and quarantine requirements as cases are detected.

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Brazil

• Bolsonaro allegedly did not intervene when he was alerted about irregularities in the government’s negotiations with vaccine manufacturer Bharat Biotech, which occurred back in February, to acquire 20 million doses of the COVAXIN vaccine for 1.6 billion reais ($320M)—a significantly above-market rate.
• Prior to assuming overpriced contracts, the Bolsonaro administration turned down or ignored at least 14 offers from vaccine Pfizer, COVAX, and the Butantan Institute––including discounted offers. A representative from Pfizer stated that the company repeatedly offered to sell the government vaccines last year, yet their offers were ignored for months and over 100 emails were left unanswered. Such actions significantly slowed down Brazil’s vaccination efforts.
• Researchers at the University of São Paulo published an investigation concluding that the president acted intentionally to spread the virus for political gains and to further corruption-ridden contracts benefiting certain intermediary contractors.
• Paulo Pimenta, Federal Deputy in Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies, expressed that spread of the virus was an intentional strategy to facilitate bribes on contracts for vaccines and emergency medical supplies. Rep. Pimenta said that “many deaths […] justify to the public opinion that you’re going to pay more than the market price, in theory, to prevent those deaths from continuing to occur, even though it was you who caused the deaths.” Critics of Bolsonaro’s administration have echoed Rep. Pimenta’s words, signaling the pandemic as a window of opportunity for corruption.
• Nine Brazilian state capitals have suspended vaccinations due to supply shortages. With 18% of its population fully vaccinated, Brazil lags behind regional neighbors. Nonetheless, a recent poll by the newspaper Folha de S.Paulo establishes that 94% of Brazilians eligible for vaccinations intend on receiving the vaccine, despite the anti-vaccine messages from Bolsonaro and his allies.
• Brazil has canceled its $316-million contract  for COVAXIN and plans to cancel its importation order of 10 million doses of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine. Bharat Biotech, producers of COVAXIN, terminated its relationship with its Brazilian distributor after it determined that the company had provided the Brazilian government fraudulent documents with the manufacturer’s name. Brazil would become the second Latin American country to cancel its order of Sputnik V, after Guatemala. Argentina and Mexico have also complained of Sputnik V shortages. Yet, Brazil’s pharmaceutical company Uniao Quimica is planning to manufacture Sputnik V locally for export to neighboring countries.
• Brazil’s state-owned petroleum company, Petrobras, has adopted a policy to keep the domestic price of fuel equivalent with the international price, plus the cost of importation. This has caused high fuel costs, as Brazilians have to pay dollar and euro prices. This policy has increased the price of consumer goods and transportation, therefore impacting low-income Brazilians and increasing food insecurity.
• Brazil’s homeless population is ballooning, as an effect of the pandemic. In response, 3,000 Brazilians that recently lost their homes—self-declared COVID-19 refugees—created their own encampment, named the First of May Refugee Camp, in the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. Yet the occupied land, which had thousands of makeshift homes, local shops, distribution of food donations, and water cisterns, belongs to Petrobras. On July 1, Brazilian police evicted the families from the land after Petrobras went to court to repossess the land, leaving these Brazilians without a home.

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Chile

• Chile is one of the most advanced countries in the region in regards to its inoculation campaign. 72.3% of the population has received at least one dose of either the AstraZeneca, Johnson and Johnson, Pfizer, Cansino, or Sinovac vaccines. Chile’s Public Security Institute has now approved the use of the Sputnik V vaccine. The country has ensured doses for 222.8% of its population, meaning that everyone is covered for at least two doses. The country has now started vaccinating everyone above the age of 12.  
• As a result of the success of the vaccine distribution program, COVID-19 cases are decreasing consistently, with national positivity remaining below 5%. Restrictions have started to be slowly lifted for vaccinated individuals, curfews will be shortened, and restaurants and other establishments will open at a greater capacity, and borders will reopen for vaccinated individuals, both foreign and domestic. 
• Elections for the constituent assembly charged with writing the new constitution took place in May. The resulting body of delegates represents an important break with previous conservative and elite-driven politics, as it is mostly made up of political independents, indigenous people, including Elisa Loncón, a Mapuche woman who will lead the body, young progressives and scientists. This Constitutional Convention will be one of the most inclusive and diverse in history, including total parity in gender representation, and provisions for 17 seats to be saved for indigenous representatives. The right-wing coalition won less than the one-third necessary to block important changes. 
• In a similar trend that continues to push Chile’s national politics towards the left, the Senate has approved same-sex marriage and adoption by same-sex couples. This decision still needs to be confirmed by the Chamber of Deputies before the current administration’s period ends in 2022. 
• Chile is home to the Escondida copper mine, the largest in the world, managed by BHP Group Ltd’s (BHP.AX), whose workers have demanded new negotiations to take place after rejecting the company’s labor contract offer. The government will mediate the talks, but failure to achieve consensus could result in a strike that would increase copper prices worldwide.

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Paraguay

• Paraguay’s inoculation campaign is lagging behind in the region, with only 4% of the population being fully vaccinated with Moderna, Sputnik and Vaxxinity doses. After Paraguay’s contract with Sinopharm to receive 1 million doses was cancelled, the country is now relying on donations from Mexico, Spain, and the COVAX mechanism to continue its campaign. Further impeding the advancement of the campaign is the fact that attendance to receive the second dose of the vaccine is 38.5% lower than attendance to receive the first dose. 
• Regardless of the limited extent of the country’s vaccine distribution, national cases have shown a steady decline over the past 3 weeks, and the Delta variant comprises only 10% of the active cases in the country, where the Manaos variant still predominates. 
• Paraguay will receive $250 million USD from the IMF’s Special Drawing Rights Program in order to accelerate the country’s post-COVID recovery. The money will be distributed among a variety of social programs including pensions, healthcare and care for older adults. 
• Paraguayan students have gone back to school virtually, while teachers continue to be vaccinated. It is expected that schools will reopen by August 23, but only for older students, especially those who need access to laboratories and school facilities to continue their education.

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Uruguay

• Uruguay is offering booster shots of the Pfizer vaccine to those who have received Sinovac doses in order to better protect from variants. The booster is not mandatory, but the government has secured enough shots to cover almost all who are eligible  
• The Uruguayan government has launched the “Barrio a Barrio” vaccination campaign to offer shots to people in their own neighborhoods and homes. The next campaign will be company to company, which will work with large businesses to help vaccinate willing employees.
• The Minister of Labor and Social Security announced that Uruguay companies cannot require employees to be vaccinated. While companies can inquire about vaccine status, and Uruguay is setting up vaccine drives at large organizations, the companies are banned from discriminating against someone because they are unvaccinated.
• Although infections have significantly dropped, government officials say  that Uruguay has no plans to reopen borders in the near future. 
• Uruguay, Argentina, Chile are working with cruise line operators to create a common strategy for return. This strategy will include standardized guidelines and safety precautions for passengers and crew mates. 

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Argentina

• COVID-19 cases have dropped from a peak in May, but the Delta variant is raising new concerns. Officials in Buenos Aires are going door to door to test residents after an outbreak while Cordoba officials have shut down a school and put 300 people in isolation. 
• Argentina is allowing those who received Sputnik V as their first dose to receive the Astrazeneca or Moderna vaccines as their second dose. Argentina was supposed to receive more doses of the Russian vaccine, but production delays have left many Argentines stuck without a second shot. 
• Domestic workers, who have faced disproportionate economic and health effects of the pandemic, are forming unions to fight for higher wages and more pandemic support. Many of the unions are led by women, who make up the majority of domestic workers. 
• The IMF increased their lending capacity to aid vulnerable countries in the fight against COVID-19. Argentina is expected to receive $4.3 billion.  
• Activist organizations such as Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo are using the vaccination campaign to raise awareness for children who were disappeared under the dictatorship and encourage people who have doubts about their identity to get their DNA tested.

SPRING 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the countries of the Southern Cone and Brazil, exacerbating pre-existing inequalities and creating economic, social and political challenges. All countries in the subregion have begun their vaccination campaigns, though there has been great variance regarding their completion levels. Additionally,Brazil, Argentina and  Paraguay have been marked by controversy as those in privileged groups have used their influence to obtain the vaccine ahead of time. Procuring vaccines has been difficult for some countries in the subregion, as they continue to wait for vaccine shipments that they paid for months prior. In response, several countries are looking towards domestic vaccine production, and vaccine diplomacy has played a growing role in the region. 

The rollout of vaccines has not been able to keep pace with the rising rates of COVID-19 infections and deaths due to the emergence of the Brazilian variants. Consequently, hospitals in the subregion’s precarious health care system are at capacity and medical supplies are scarce, leading several countries to rely on foreign aid to procure these items. This situation has had a great impact on the politics of the region. Citizens have protested against their governments, and leaders face a variety of challenges including impeachment bids and official investigations into their management of the pandemic. 

Economic recovery is a priority for the region. Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay have taken explicit steps to support small and medium sized businesses. As costs related to COVID-19 continue to increase, countries have looked at a variety of new means to fund their pandemic response including wealth taxes. Informal workers have been particularly impacted by the economic downturn as they oftentimes lack access to unemployment benefits or other economic assistance plans. The social impact of the pandemic has also been felt throughout the region. In many countries, governments have failed to provide services and protection to indigenous communities. Women have faced increased domestic violence, large amounts of unrecognized and unpaid labor and a lack of economic integration.

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Key trends for Governance and the Rule of Law

Brazil and the Southern Cone have experienced a dramatic rise in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths despite initiating their vaccination campaigns. This situation threatens the region’s already fragile health care systems and  has caused political turmoil. 

Overwhelmed Health Care Systems

Cases of COVID-19 continue to rise throughout the subregion, despite the efforts of ongoing vaccination campaigns. This situation is straining the already fragile healthcare systems and has pressured governments to seek foreign aid. Argentina received personal protective equipment and mechanical ventilators from the Chinese government. Uruguay received medical equipment valued at US$ 1.7 million from Saudi Arabia, and Paraguay is waiting for medical supplies from Spain. In Argentina, ICU beds are near capacity in the main provinces of Buenos Aires, Córdoba and Neuquén. Meanwhile, in Brazil 85% of the ICU beds are occupied in 25 of 27 states. Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay are experiencing a similar reality. In Paraguay, patients are being treated in chairs while others wait in line outside hospitals due to a lack of available beds. As the Brazilian variant continues to spread throughout the subregion, Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina have all at least once registered the highest global number of COVID-19 deaths per day, surpassing each other every few weeks. Paraguay and Chile are also within the top 10 countries for total deaths per capita.

Political Impact of New Wave of Infections 

The new wave of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths has had a significant impact on politics in the region. Brazil’s federal government has failed to create a national response to the virus, as President Bolsonaro has pushed back against public health mandates. The Supreme Court announced an investigation into the government’s handling of the pandemic, which could prove a decisive element in next year’s elections. Bolsonaro may face impeachment charges, a fate which struck Paraguay’s President in March. The bid ultimately failed, but Paraguayans are protesting the country’s lagging vaccination campaign and lack of medical supplies. In Buenos Aires, the mayor challenged the federal government’s suspension of in person classes. The Supreme Court ruled that the presidential decree to close schools violated Buenos Aires’ autonomy. Chile’s most recent protests focused on President Piñera’s failed attempt to use the court to block pension withdrawals. Elections for the constitutional constituent assembly resulted in an admonishment of traditional political parties.

COVID-19 Vaccination Campaigns

All countries have begun their vaccination campaigns, though progress has been varied. Over 48% of Chileans have received at least one dose compared to Paraguay, who has vaccinated less than 2% of its population. Brazil, one of the world’s worst-hit countries from COVID-19, has had a patchy vaccination campaign rollout, but announced a $1 billion investment towards the production and procurement of vaccines. Argentina has vaccinated 8 million of its 45 million inhabitants while Uruguay has reached almost 43% of its population. Procuring vaccines has been difficult for some nations, as Argentina and Paraguay continue to wait for shipments they have already purchased. Donating and selling vaccines as a means of diplomacy continues to play an important role in the region as well as countries investing in domestic vaccine production. Argentina is expected to begin producing the Sputnik V vaccine in June, and Brazil announced that it has developed two vaccines in the human trials stage.  

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Key Trends for Growth and Innovation

The subregion has prioritized economic recovery, focusing on new methods to finance the growing COVID-19 costs in addition to efforts to boost economic activity by providing support for small and medium sized businesses. However, informal sector workers continue to be especially vulnerable during this time of economic instability. 

Impact on Informal Labor

Informal sector workers,who make up a large portion of laborers in the subregion, have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Health mandates limit their mobility and ability to work, and  many do not have access to unemployment benefits and economic assistance programs. Chile’s employment subsidy applies only to those who find a job in the formal sector, and Brazil’s informal workers cannot receive economic assistance without a bank account. Paraguay is offering assistance only to informal workers in border towns. Argentina has utilized cash transfer programs, but as is the case throughout the subregion, the assistance is insufficient. Some governments are trying to formalize these workers. Paraguay created an online platform for informal businesses to register with the government and will waive any fees and penalties. In Uruguay, a proposal has emerged for the creation of a registry for informal workers to facilitate their incorporation into social programs.Brazil is studying the creation of the Productive Inclusion Bonus to protect informal workers while also creating greater formalization.

New Proposals to Finance the COVID-19 Pandemic

As costs related to COVID-19 response efforts continue to increase, many countries have begun to propose new sources of revenue to finance COVID-19 funds and reduce increasing public debt. These proposals are in addition to continued reliance on sovereign wealth funds and the sale of government bonds. To reinforce its healthcare system, Paraguay paused construction of a bridge with Brazil in order to divert US$30 million towards the Ministry of Health. In Chile a one-time wealth tax has been proposed to tax 2.5% of assets greater than US$ 22 million. A similar tax in Uruguay still awaits approval. Meanwhile in Argentina, the wealth tax with rates ranging from  2.25% to 5.25% for assets over US$ 2.4 million, has already generated US$ 2.4 billion that will be directed towards vaccine acquisition, medical supplies, and subsidies for SMEs. Motivated by rising inequality exacerbated by COVID-19, proponents of wealth taxes have promoted them as an act of solidarity towards groups that have been affected the most. However, these proposals have been met with opposition from politicians and taxpayers alike. 

Small and Medium Sized Business Support

As part of their economic recovery plans, countries in the Southern Cone are targeting small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) to provide support through a variety of measures. El Sistema Nacional de Garantias of Uruguay issued loans to businesses in the tourism industry as well as other SMBs as a means to support the economy during the busy summer months but was later extended through April 2021. As a part of their Paso a Paso Chile Se Recupera plan, the country is supporting SMBs through tax measures, decreasing loan interest payments, grants and recently announced additional support through a $6 billion investment in the country’s COVID Fund. In Paraguay,the country’s efforts to formalize more businesses will largely impact SMEs which make up over 96% of the informal businesses in the country. Finally, Argentina has recently approved initiatives and opened up lines of credit to provide technical assistance to agricultural and industrial SMBs.

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Key Trends for Social and Cultural Inclusion

Providing for the needs of vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic has proven to be a challenge as women and indigenous groups face particular difficulties. The vaccination of powerful and privileged individuals has led to calls for increased transparency and the use of health criteria in creating vaccine distribution plans.

Impact on Women

The pandemic has impacted women in a variety of ways. In Brazil, nurses, who are predominantly women, are dying at escalating rates due to overexposure in crowded hospitals. Additionally, the government has asked women to avoid getting pregnant due to the high rates of infection among this population. Gender based violence, exacerbated by COVID-19, was denounced in International Women’s Day marches in the region. Argentina has identified more than 60 cases of femicide in 2021. Additionally, these marches draw attention to the economic impact of the pandemic. Women face higher rates of unemployment, oftentimes work in the hard hit informal sector and provide much of the unpaid labor through child rearing and caring for the sick.  Finally, access to reproductive and sexual health resources continues to be of concern, despite Argentina’s recent legalization of abortion. A court case in Chile regarding a woman’s right to abortion due to defective oral contraceptives has been regarded as a significant step for women’s reproductive rights.

Inequitable Vaccine Distribution

Concerns have arisen surrounding equitable access to the vaccine. In Argentina, the health minister resigned after reports surfaced of individuals using social and political connections to receive priority access. As a result, the country has increased transparency through the creation of the Monitor Publico de Vacunación which provides data on the country’s vaccine administration.Brazil and Chile have also faced accusations of rich and powerful individuals leveraging their networks to get vaccinated. In Paraguay, over 500 well-connected individuals received vaccines ahead of schedule in the midst of the country’s severe vaccine shortage. One senator has resigned as a result. These events have been labeled as human rights violations by some organizations, and there has been an increased push for transparency and the use of health criteria for vaccine distribution. 

Indigenous Rights

The Chilean and Paraguayan governments have been criticized for their failure to implement a comprehensive response to assist indigenous communities. Similarly, The Brazilian government has been accused of not properly testing or counting COVID-19 cases, even as the new Brazilian variants spread through the country, there is a lack of government response within their communities. Additionally, false information is being spread to indigenous communities in remote villages in the Amazon via WhatsApp by Brazilian politicians and preachers, causing a decrease in the vaccination rates of these communities.There is concern that a lack of access to healthcare, potable water, and food during the pandemic will lead to greater poverty and inequality in Argentina, Paraguay, and Chile. Additionally, increased deforestation in Paraguay and Argentina magnifies the exposure of these groups to COVID-19, and destroys their legally-recognized lands. In Formosa, Argentina pregnant Wichi women fear being taken to compulsory quarantine centers, the province’s strict measures have been previously criticized by human rights organizations. 

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What to Watch:

Despite the implementation of stricter COVID-19 restrictions and the ongoing vaccination campaigns, countries are experiencing an alarming rise in the number of cases and deaths. Mass vaccination is likely the only way out of this situation, but procuring vaccines has been difficult. As a result, a focus on domestic vaccine development and manufacturing has emerged, specifically in Brazil and Argentina. It will be important to monitor the development and production of the new vaccines and see which other countries join these efforts.Because the pandemic has created an inequitable impact in many areas of society, distribution of vaccines has become an additional area of concern, so it will be important to monitor this trend across countries in the subregion and the world. The use of vaccines as a diplomacy tool will be a key trend to continue to watch as well. The production of these new vaccines could generate more cooperation within the Southern Cone. Keeping track of this process will shed some insight into the evolution of vaccine diplomacy and the potential future effects of the relationships that are formed between countries, Chile has taken the first steps by sending existing vaccine doses to Paraguay. Equally noteworthy is the future relationships between the region and Russia and China, who have taken on the role of supportive allies. The United States’ influence may also be impacted, as they have been largely focused on domestic distribution of vaccines. 

Given the continued presence of the Brazilian variants P1 and P2 throughout the region, and the growing number of COVID-19 cases, it will be critical to follow the Brazilian government’s future efforts to contain the spread, including the results of the Supreme Court case that is investigating the government’s response to COVID-19. The political fallout that might result from government mismanagement of the pandemic could have a lasting impact on future elections in the region. Therefore, it will be crucial to monitor and compare the different measures countries take to adapt as the situation evolves, by implementing stricter health guidelines, travel restrictions at the borders, and extensive vaccination campaigns. 

Finally, given the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic and the possibility that new variants will develop throughout the region, it will be important to monitor which sectors of society are disproportionately affected, and what steps the governments take towards improving the efficacy and reducing the inequity of the vaccination campaigns and healthcare access.

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FALL 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the countries of the Southern Cone and Brazil as it has exacerbated pre-existing inequalities and created economic, social and political challenges. All countries in the region have delayed their elections in some regards. Uruguay completed departmental elections in September and Chileans voted in a constitutional plebiscite in October, while Brazil and Argentina have elections scheduled for late November 2020 and Paraguay has them scheduled for 2021. In a region that has been characterized by a lack of access to reliable information, Uruguay stands out for its commitment to providing all available research on their government website. Other nations in the region have faced accusations of spreading unscientific information, hiding or withholding case numbers, or not completing an adequate number of COVID-19 tests. All countries in the region have signed onto the World Health Organization’s Covax agreement which provides speed and access to an effective vaccine once available. Many are also participating in vaccine trials or have signed agreements with companies to access future vaccines. Economic recovery is a priority for the region, as Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay have taken explicit steps to support small and medium sized businesses. In the wake of economic contraction, there is concern in regards to mounting public debt, as many nations turn to bond sales or loan restructuring. One group that has been particularly impacted by the economic downturn is informal workers, who oftentimes lack access to unemployment benefits or other economic assistance plans provided by the government. The social impact of the pandemic has also been felt throughout the region, as governments face mounting criticism for police brutality. In many countries, governments have failed to provide services and protection to indigenous communities. Women have faced increased domestic violence, rising maternal mortality rates and a lack of economic integration. 

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Key Trends for Governance and the Rule of Law

Brazil and the Southern Cone have committed to holding elections and procuring vaccines for their populations. Yet, concerns about misinformation and lack of transparency regarding COVID-19 cases have been expressed throughout the region.

Impact on Democratic Participation: Postponement of Election

COVID-19 has impacted elections throughout the sub-region. Brazil and the Southern Cone have all had to postpone elections, and some are still postponed from as early as March when the COVID-19 outbreak began. Since their initial postponement, elections were held in Uruguay and the plebiscite was held in Chile. The remaining countries, Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil, postponed their municipal elections until at least the end of November. In Brazil, concerns have been raised about cities prematurely opening for elections. Meanwhile, Uruguay experienced a surge in cases following their September municipal elections, despite the strict measures taken to monitor the arrival and departure of citizens who traveled to the country and strict health guidelines set forth by the government. Chile’s awaited Plebiscite took place on October 25, during which 78% voted in favor of a new constitution and constitutional convention. With approximately 50% of Chilean voters turning out for this election, it marks the highest voter turnout in the country since 2012, despite concerns and limitations due to COVID-19.

Quality of COVID-19 Information and Testing

Uruguay has taken the lead in disseminating COVID-19 information as it has promised to make all related research accessible to the public through their government website. Uruguay’s comprehensive healthcare system and early preventative measures allowed the country to facilitate widespread COVID-19 testing, including at home testing options. In the rest of the sub-region, the population and outside actors have expressed distrust in the information relayed by the media and some governments. Distrust in the media and concerns about the quality of reporting have been expressed in Paraguay. In Argentina, there have been concerns regarding the lack of testing, and in Chile, the former Health Minister was accused of concealing case numbers. In Brazil, President Jair Bolsonaro, has been criticized for withholding total case numbers and spreading unscientific information, from downplaying the severity of  COVID-19 during the beginning of the outbreak to endorsing the use of Hydroxychloroquine. 

Trials and Procurement of COVID-19 Vaccines

All of the countries in the sub-region have procured COVID-19 vaccines through COVAX, a global collaboration intended to accelerate the development, manufacturing, and accessibility of COVID-19 vaccines. Most countries have also procured vaccines through private companies, including AstraZeneca, SinoVac, BioNTech, Pfizer, and Sputnik V, with the exception of Uruguay and Paraguay who are only receiving vaccines through COVAX and are not currently participating in any trials. However, Paraguay has expressed they are open to purchasing from private companies in the future. Meanwhile, Uruguay opted out of purchasing doses from AstraZeneca. Despite anticipation of the arrival of doses of the vaccine in the coming months, most countries have not begun devising distribution plans. Politicization of the vaccine has begun to emerge as public opposition to the vaccine has already been expressed in Argentina against the Russian Sputnik V vaccine and against the Chinese SinoVac vaccine in Brazil. 

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Key Trends for Growth and Innovation

The region has prioritized economic recovery by providing support for small and medium sized businesses. Many countries have turned to selling bonds to address increasing debt while workers in the informal sector are especially vulnerable during this time of economic instability.  

 Impact on Informal Labor

Informal sector workers in the sub-region are affected disproportionately as many do not have access to unemployment benefits and other economic assistance programs. In Uruguay informal labor workers do not qualify to receive the unemployment benefit seguro de paro, but have access to other economic programs like the Uruguay Social card and family assistance programs. In Brazil, informal workers face logistical hurdles as they cannot receive economic assistance without having a bank account, which is the case for many workers. In Chile, informal workers do not qualify for the Ley de Protección de Empleo and therefore do not receive unemployment benefits. Both Argentina and Paraguay have provided assistance through cash transfer programs. In many cases, the assistance provided is not enough to sustain individuals and their families. In Argentina, increases in unemployment have led to increases in land occupations by squatters who are often informal labor workers waiting for economic assistance from the government. 

Increase in Bond Sales to Address Country Debt and Finance COVID-19 Response

In the months since the first cases were reported in the region, the increasingly deteriorating economic conditions of the sub-region—including increased unemployment, GDP contractions, currency devaluations, and the anticipation of increased national debt—have encouraged the Southern Cone to address their current and foreseeable debt through the sale of bonds and loan renegotiations. In an effort to restructure its existing $65 billion dollar debt, the government of Argentina has sold over $3.51.8 billion worth of U.S. dollar backed bonds, in addition to loan renegotiations with the International Monetary Fund. Public debt is also increasing in Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Brazil. Both Chile and Paraguay have issued bonds to finance social and emergency assistance programs for COVID-19 and address public debt. In anticipation of a significant increase in public debt due to their comprehensive COVID-19 response, the government of Uruguay raised $2 billion dollars through the sale of dual-currency bonds.

Small and Medium Sized Business Support

As part of their economic recovery plans, countries in the Southern Cone are targeting small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) to provide support through a variety of measures. El Sistema Nacional de Garantias of Uruguay is issuing loans to those businesses in the tourism industry as well as other SMBs as a means to support the economy during the busy summer months. As a part of their Paso a Paso Chile Se Recupera plan, the country is supporting SMBs through tax measures, decreasing loan interest payments, and grants. In Paraguay, the Inter-American Development Bank has approved a $15 million loan to the country to support these enterprises. Finally, Argentina has recently proposed tax incentives to promote tech startup companies.

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Key Trends for Social and Cultural Inclusion

Providing for the needs of vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic has proven to be a challenge as women and indigenous groups face particular difficulties and police brutality is a concern for the region. 

 Impact on Women

The pandemic has impacted women in a variety of ways. In Brazil, maternal mortality has been exacerbated by COVID-19, especially among black women whose mortality rate is twice that of white women. Employment is another issue, as many Brazilian women are employed in the particularly hard hit informal sector, while the Chilean government is investing significant resources into fields where women are traditionally underrepresented, such as construction. Women are providing much of the unpaid labor in Paraguay through child rearing, caring for the sick, and educating their children who are out of school. Increased rates of femicide in Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil have resulted in the creation of hotlines, WhatsApp groups, social media campaigns, and the Argentine barbijo rojo campaign to discreetly identify victims of domestic violence. Finally, access to resources for women’s reproductive and sexual health is of concern as well as the continued campaign to legalize abortion in Argentina.

Human Rights Violations

Human rights violations, especially those committed by the police, have become a major concern during the pandemic. In Chile, the police, Carabineros, have been criticized for their response to protesters, including in a recent interaction that resulted in an officer throwing a teen over a bridge. Excessive force is also a concern in Uruguay, as the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights denounced the actions used by officers in Montevideo to break up public gatherings. Police in the province of Buenos Aires tore down and burned the shacks of hundreds of families squatting in order to evict them from the Guernica encampment. In Brazil, police brutality has increased by 43% during the pandemic and has disproportionately affected black men. Paraguay has been criticized by Amnesty International among others for the substandard health conditions of their quarantine centers which are required for anyone entering the country by land. 

Indigenous Rights

Indigenous communities have been faced with challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both the Chilean and Paraguayan governments have been criticized for their failure to implement a comprehensive response to assist these communities while the Brazilian government has been accused of not properly testing or counting COVID-19 cases among indigenous people. There is concern that a lack of access to healthcare, potable water, and food during the pandemic will lead to greater poverty and inequality in Argentina, Paraguay, and Chile. Additionally, increased deforestation in Paraguay and Argentina magnifies the exposure of these groups to COVID-19, and destroys the legally-recognized lands of the Ayoreo Totobiegosode people. In Brazil, there is concern that indigenous cultures and languages will be lost as elder members succumb to the virus. The government has also been criticized for inadvertently spreading COVID-19 among indigenous people when they provided assistance through federal agents. 

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What to Watch:

As the number of COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Argentina and Brazil, and in anticipation of the viable threat tourism presents in the summer months of December through February, the countries that have not opted to close their borders will have to devise a comprehensive plan to facilitate containment and implement strict health guidelines. All of the countries in the sub-region expect to receive millions of vaccine doses through COVAX and other private companies like BioNTech, SinoVac, and Pfizer, some expected as early as December. Within the next three months, Brazil and the countries in the Southern Cone will each have to devise a thorough plan for the dissemination and monitoring of vaccinations while simultaneously assessing the effects of the vaccine against the backdrop of open borders and tourism. Uruguay has taken the lead in preparing for the coming months; it has announced the closing of its borders and a comprehensive summer plan to stimulate local tourism, and it has also begun to convene experts that will advise the Ministry of Public Health on the distribution of the vaccine. 

The countries in the sub-region will face difficult decisions as they begin to coordinate the dissemination of the vaccines. It will be important to compare the different approaches the countries take in deciding which groups of the population or regions receive the first doses of the vaccination. It will be equally important to observe which groups are disproportionately affected by these decisions as concerns about inequalities have been a continuous concern throughout the implementation of COVID-19 responses. Brazil and the Southern Cone have an important task ahead of them with vaccinations, amid other concerns including efforts to stimulate their economies, increase employment opportunities, and alleviate their national debts.

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Select resources for the Southern Cone and Brazil:

Governance and the Rule of Law Spring 2022:

ABC Color. (2022, 4 de febrero). Salud presenta un “carnet de vacunación digital” para eventos y bares. https://www.abc.com.py/nacionales/2022/02/04/salud-presenta-un-carnet-de-vacunacion-digital-para-eventos-y-bares/.

————. (2022, 18 de febrero). Campaña de vacunación a niños se traslada a las escuelas. https://www.abc.com.py/nacionales/2022/02/18/campana-de-vacunacion-a-ninos-se-traslada-a-las-escuelas/.

Agência Brasil. (2022, 2 de maio).  Agência Brasil explica o fim da emergência sanitária. https://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/saude/noticia/2022-04/entenda-fatos-e-mitos-sobre-o-fim-da-emergencia-de-saude.

————. (2022, 5 de maio). Covid-19: DF amplia quarta dose para idosos a partir dos 60 anos. https://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/saude/noticia/2022-05/covid-19-df-amplia-quarta-dose-para-idosos-partir-dos-60-anos.

Agencia EFE. (2022, 15 de febrero). Ómicron causó un “fuerte impacto” y falta de asistencia en los hospitales de Brasil. http://www.efe.com/efe/america/sociedad/omicron-causo-un-fuerte-impacto-y-falta-de-asistencia-en-los-hospitales-brasil/20000013-4740906.

Aljazeera. (2022, March 21). Brazil’s ex-president Lula holds lead over Bolsonaro: Poll. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/21/brazils-ex-president-lula-holds-lead-over-bolsonaro-poll.

Álvares, D., Calatrava, A. (2022, January 17). Omicron slamming South American hospitals as workers fall ill. PBS News Hour. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/omicron-slamming-south-american-hospitals-as-workers-fall-ill.

Barría, C. (2021, 20 de diciembre). Los desafíos políticos y económicos que enfrentará Boric para cumplir su promesa de transformar Chile. BBC News Mundo. https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-america-latina-59725319.

BBC News Mundo. (2021, 20 de diciembre). Gabriel Boric: En qué consiste la agenda transformadora con la que llega a la presidencia de Chile. https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-america-latina-59723286.

Bem Paraná. (2022, 27 de janeiro). Consequências do ataque ao Ministério da Saúde: Apagão de dados oculta real impacto da Ômicron – Bem Paraná. https://www.bemparana.com.br/noticia/consequencias-do-ataque-ao-ministerio-da-saude-apagao-de-dados-oculta-real-impacto-da-omicron.

Berti, L. (2022, March 17). São Paulo lifts mask mandates indoors. The Brazilian Report. https://brazilian.report/liveblog/2022/03/17/sao-paulo-lifts-mask-mandates/.

Bevins, V. (2022, January 5). Brazil Turns, Lula Returns. The New York Review of Books. https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2022/01/05/brazil-turns-lula-returns/.

CNN Brasil. (2022, 16 de março). Reprovação a Bolsonaro cai de 45% para 23% entre quem começou a receber auxílio e votou nele em 2018. https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/politica/reprovacao-a-bolsonaro-cai-de-45-para-23-entre-quem-comecou-a-receber-auxilio/. 

CNN Chile. (2022, 21 de febrero). Ministro Paris por casos de COVID-19: “Tuvimos el peak el 11 de febrero y hoy estamos viviendo un descenso.” https://www.cnnchile.com/coronavirus/ministro-paris-casos-covid-peak-febrero-descenso_20220221/.

Cruz, I. (2022, 19 de abril). Como o fracasso no combate à pandemia deve pesar na eleição. Nexo Jornal. https://www.nexojornal.com.br/expresso/2022/04/19/Como-o-fracasso-no-combate-%C3%A0-pandemia-deve-pesar-na-elei%C3%A7%C3%A3o.

Cué, C. (2022, 19 de mayo).  Alberto Fernández: “La de Cristina es una mirada parcial, que desatiende que vivimos una pandemia”. El País. https://elpais.com/argentina/2022-05-10/alberto-fernandez-la-de-cristina-es-una-mirada-parcial-que-desatiende-que-vivimos-una-pandemia.html. 

Da Cunha, G. (2022, 4 de fevereiro). Sem folia e sem folga? Veja como fica o feriado do Carnaval nas principais capitais. Valor Investe.  https://valorinveste.globo.com/mercados/brasil-e-politica/noticia/2022/02/04/sem-folia-e-sem-folGa-veja-como-fica-o-feriado-do-carnaval-nas-principais-capitais.ghtml. 

Expreso. (2022, 13 de marzo). Chile flexibiliza las medidas de ingreso al país. https://www.expreso.info/noticias/internacional/87828_chile_flexibiliza_las_medidas_de_ingreso_al_pais.

Financial Times. (2022, 9 de mayo). El apoyo a Boric baja a medida que se reduce la ayuda de tiempos de pandemia. https://www.df.cl/economia-y-politica/politica/ft-el-apoyo-a-boric-baja-a-medida-que-se-reduce-la-ayuda-de-tiempos-de. 

Folhapress. (2022, 18 de maio). Brasil tem médias crescentes de mortes e casos por Covid. https://br.noticias.yahoo.com/brasil-tem-m%C3%A9dias-crescentes-morte.

France 24. (2022, February 9). Thousands protest Argentina’s debt deal with IMF. https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220209-thousands-protest-argentina-s-debt-deal-with-imf.

————. (2022, 1 de mayo). Chile reabre fronteras terrestres tras dos años cerradas por el covid-19. https://www.france24.com/es/minuto-a-minuto/20220501-chile-reabre-fronteras-terrestres-tras-dos-a%C3%B1os-cerradas-por-el-covid-19. 

————.  (2022, 17 de mayo). Argentina entra en cuarta ola de covid, advierte ministra de Salud. https://www.france24.com/es/minuto-a-minuto/20220517-argentina-entra-en-cuarta-ola-de-covid-advierte-ministra-de-salud.

G1. (2022, 17 de março). Brasil registra 21^o dia seguido de queda na média móvel de mortes por Covid; total passa de 656,4 mil vítimas. https://g1.globo.com/saude/coronavirus/noticia/2022/03/17/brasil-registra-21o-dia-seguido-de-queda-na-media-movel-de-mortes-por-covid-total-passa-de-6564-mil-vitimas.ghtml. 

Gobierno de Uruguay. (2022, 17 de mayo). Gobierno anunció beneficios sociales y medidas para mitigar impacto sobre precios. https://www.gub.uy/presidencia/comunicacion/noticias/gobierno-anuncio-beneficios-sociales-medidas-para-mitigar-impacto-sobre. 

Infobae. (2022, 7 de febrero). Chile comenzó la vacunación masiva con la cuarta dosis en plena ola de contagios por la variante Ómicron. https://www.infobae.com/america/america-latina/2022/02/07/chile-comenzo-la-vacunacion-masiva-de-la-cuarta-dosis-en-plena-ola-de-contagios-por-la-variante-omicron/.

Latin America Risk Report. (2022, March 8). Another year of crisis for Latin America. https://boz.substack.com/p/another-year-of-crisis-for-latin.

Martins, C., & Yukari, D. (2022, 12 de fevereiro). Brasil leva triplo do tempo da Argentina para vacinar 15% das crianças contra Covid. Folha de São Paulo. https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/equilibrioesaude/2022/02/brasil-leva-triplo-do-tempo-da-argentina-para-vacinar-15-das-criancas-contra-covid.shtml.

Ministerio de Salud Argentina. (n.d.). Plan Estratégico para la vacunación contra la COVID-19 en Argentina.  https://bancos.salud.gob.ar/recurso/plan-estrategico-para-la-vacunacion-contra-la-covid-19-en-argentina.

————. (2022, 17 de febrero). Monitor Público de Vacunación. https://www.argentina.gob.ar/coronavirus/vacuna/aplicadas. 

————. (2022, 17 de marzo). Argentina lleva ocho semanas consecutivas con una disminución sostenida de casos de COVID-19. Argentina.gob.ar. https://www.argentina.gob.ar/noticias/argentina-lleva-ocho-semanas-consecutivas-con-una-disminucion-sostenida-de-casos-de-covid.

Ministerio de Salud. (2022, 17 de febrero). Reporte COVID-19: Un 95,55% de la población entre 12 y 17 años cuenta con su esquema de vacunación completo. Gobierno de Chile. https://www.minsal.cl/reporte-covid-19-un-9555-de-la-poblacion-entre-12-y-17-anos-cuenta-con-su-esquema-de-vacunacion-completo/. 

————. (2022, 10 de mayo). COVID-19: Autoridades anuncian que segundo refuerzo será obligatorio para mantener vigente el pase de movilidad. Gobierno de Chile. https://www.minsal.cl/covid-19-autoridades-anuncian-que-segundo-refuerzo-sera-obligatorio-para-mantener-vigente-el-pase-de-movilidad/.

————.   (2022, 17 de mayo). COVID-19: Autoridades llaman a reforzar las medidas de autocuidado, ante aumento de casos nuevos en las últimas semanas. Gobierno de Chile. https://www.minsal.cl/covid-19-autoridades-llaman-a-reforzar-las-medidas-de-autocuidado-ante-aumento-de-casos-nuevos-en-las-ultimas-semanas/. 

————. (2022, 18 de mayo). COVID-19: Se han administrado más de 54 millones 583 mil dosis de la vacuna contra SARS-CoV-2. Gobierno de Chile. https://www.minsal.cl/covid-19-se-han-administrado-mas-de-54-millones-583-mil-dosis-de-la-vacuna-contra-sars-cov-2/.

Ministerio de Salud Pública. (n.d). ​​Plan de vacunación COVID-19. República Oriental del Uruguay. https://www.gub.uy/uruguaysevacuna. 

Ministerio de Salud Pública y Bienestar Social. (2022, 28 de enero). Vacunación anticovid para niños de  5 a 11 años, desde este lunes. República del Paraguay.  https://www.mspbs.gov.py/portal/24745/vacunacion-anticovid-para-nintildeos-de-5-a-11-antildeos-desde-este-lunes.html.

————. (2022, 14 de febrero). COVID-19: Vacuna taiwanesa Medigen es aprobada para uso de emergencia. https://www.mspbs.gov.py/portal/24823/covid-19-vacuna-taiwanesa-medigen-es-aprobada-para-uso-de-emergencia.html.

————. (2022, 18 de abril). Gobierno deroga decreto que declara emergencia sanitaria. https://www.mspbs.gov.py/portal/25188/gobierno-deroga-decreto-que-declara-emergencia-sanitaria.html.

Muñoz, A. (2022, 22 de enero). La ola de ómicron en Uruguay, entre los riesgos exacerbados y los inadvertidos. La Diaria. https://ladiaria.com.uy/salud/articulo/2022/1/la-ola-de-omicron-en-uruguay-entre-los-riesgos-exacerbados-y-los-inadvertidos/.

La Nación.  (2022, 14 de febrero). Covid-19 en Uruguay: casos de coronavirus y vacunación al 13 de febrero. https://www.lanacion.com.ar/el-mundo/covid-19-en-uruguay-casos-de-coronavirus-y-vacunacion-al-13-de-febrero-nid14022022/. 

————. (2022, 18 de marzo). Paraguay presenta 5 semanas de descenso de contagios de COVID-19. https://www.lanacion.com.py/pais/2022/03/18/paraguay-presenta-5-semanas-de-descenso-de-contagios-de-covid-19/.

Nicas, J. (2022, March 3). In Glitter and Leotards, They Took a Stand: Carnival Must Go On. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/03/world/americas/brazil-carnival.html.

Oliveira, I. (2022, 11 de fevereiro). Entenda o debate sobre aplicação da 4^a dose da vacina da Covid-19 no Brasil. CNN Brasil. https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/saude/entenda-debate-sobre-aplicacao-da-4a-dose-da-vacina-da-covid-19-no-brasil/.

Osborn, C. (2022, March 11). Why This Commodity Crunch Is Different. Foreign Policy. https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/03/11/latin-america-ukraine-war-prices-commodity-inflation/.

Paúl, F. (2022, 11 de marzo). El Chile que recibe Boric y 5 retos que enfrentará en sus primeros meses de gobierno. BBC News Mundo. https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-america-latina-60464367.

Pibida, F. (2022, February 18). Latin America, a ‘Vaccine Diplomacy’ Recipient, Is Now a Vaccine Donor, Too. Wilson Center. https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/latin-america-vaccine-diplomacy-recipient-now-vaccine-donor-too.

Reuters. (2022, May 11). Polls show Lula’s first rise this year in Brazil presidential race. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/bolsonaro-attacks-brazil-voting-system-losing-him-moderate-voters-poll-says-2022-05-11/.

Rocha, C., Pedroso, R., & Reverdosa, M. (2022, February 12). Brazil’s Covid-19 vaccination drive stumbles as Bolsonaro’s disinformation campaign lingers. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/12/americas/brazil-vaccine-campaign-stumbles-bolsonaro-intl-cmd/index.html.

Simoes, E., & Grattan, S. (2022, February 21). Lula holds healthy lead in Brazil presidential race, poll shows. Nasdaq. https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/lula-holds-healthy-lead-in-brazil-presidential-race-poll-shows.

Télam. (2022, 22 de abril). Las provincias aplican la cuarta dosis de vacuna anticovid en paralelo a la antigripal. https://www.telam.com.ar/notas/202204/589910-provincias-cuarta-dosis-coronavirus.html. 

Última Hora. (2022, 22 de febrero). Covid-19: Gobierno elimina medidas sanitarias, pero mantiene uso de mascarillas. https://www.ultimahora.com/covid-19-gobierno-elimina-medidas-sanitarias-pero-mantiene-uso-mascarillas-n2988060.html.

Growth and Innovation Spring 2022:

ABC Color. (2022, 13 de febrero). ¿Qué ha pasado con la inflación en Paraguay? https://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/suplementos/economico/2022/02/13/que-ha-pasado-con-la-inflacion-en-paraguay/.

Agência Brasil. (2022, 3 de março). Fiocruz entrega à pasta da Saúde 1,9 milhão de doses da AstraZeneca. https://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/saude/noticia/2022-03/fiocruz-entrega-pasta-da-saude-19-milhao-de-doses-da-astrazeneca.

Agência Senado. (2022, 18 de mayo). Senado aprova liberação de R$ 6,4 bilhões para compra de vacinas. Senado Federal. https://www12.senado.leg.br/noticias/materias/2022/05/18/senado-aprova-liberacao-de-r-6-4-bilhoes-para-compra-de-vacinas. 

Ayres, M. (2022, March 11). UPDATE 2-Brazil inflation hits seven-year high for February. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/article/brazil-economy-inflation/update-2-brazil-inflation-hits-seven-year-high-for-february-idUKL2N2VE0V2.

Banco Central do Brasil. (2022, February 2). Copom increases the Selic rate to 10.75% p.a. https://www.bcb.gov.br/en/pressdetail/2429/nota. 

————. (2022, May 4). Copom increases the Selic rate to 12.75%. https://www.bcb.gov.br/en/pressdetail/2436/nota. 

Boadle, A. (2022, February 17). Brazilian firm to make Russia’s Sputnik Light COVID vaccine for export. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/brazilian-firm-make-russias-sputnik-light-covid-vaccine-export-2022-02-17/. 

Castro, M. (2022, 3 de mayo). Cuánto falta para recuperar los empleos en Chile a niveles previos a la pandemia. Bloomberg Línea. https://www.bloomberglinea.com/2022/05/03/cuanto-falta-para-recuperar-los-empleos-en-chile-a-niveles-previos-a-la-pandemia/.

Capurro, M., Spinetto, J. (2022, May 3). Brazil’s Inflation Is So Bad Even Central Bank Workers Protest. Bloomberg. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-03/brazil-s-inflation-is-so-bad-even-central-bank-workers-protest?emci=e1d45a12-b5cb-ec11-997e-281878b83d8a&emdi=c456ad2c-b6cb-ec11-997e-281878b83d8a&ceid=9780675. 

CNN Radio Argentina. (2022, 19 de enero). Turismo en pandemia: optimismo en Uruguay para lo que resta de la temporada. https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/radio/2022/01/19/turismo-en-pandemia-optimismo-para-lo-que-resta-de-la-temporada-en-uruguay/. 

El Cronista. (2022, 2 de febrero). Argentina vende la vacuna Sputnik V: el laboratorio Richmond ya puede exportarla en nombre del Fondo Ruso. https://www.cronista.com/negocios/argentina-vende-la-vacuna-sputnik-v-el-laboratorio-richmond-ya-puede-exportarla-en-nombre-del-fondo-ruso/. 

Das, K. (2022, March 2). India’s output, exports of Russia’s Sputnik vaccine at risk due to Ukraine crisis. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/indias-output-exports-russias-sputnik-vaccine-risk-due-ukraine-crisis-2022-03-02/.

De Escobar, B. (2022, April 29). With inflation rising, millions in Argentina rely on food aid. France 24. https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220429-with-inflation-rising-millions-in-argentina-rely-on-food-aid. 

EFE. (2022, 12 de mayo). Sinovac inicia en Chile la construcción de su primera planta en Latinoamérica. El Universo. https://www.eluniverso.com/noticias/internacional/sinovac-inicia-en-chile-la-construccion-de-su-primera-planta-en-latinoamerica-nota/. 

Ferraz, M. (2022, 21 de janeiro). Covid: governo publica regras para entrada no Brasil. Poder 360. https://www.poder360.com.br/governo/covid-governo-publica-regras-para-entrada-no-brasil.

Gobierno de Argentina. (n.d). PreViaje. https://previaje.gob.ar/. 

————. (2022, 26 de enero). Medidas vigentes para el ingreso y el egreso al territorio nacional. https://www.argentina.gob.ar/interior/migraciones/ddjj-migraciones#:~:text=Deber%C3%A1n%20presentar%3A%20Test%20de%20ant%C3%ADgenos,14%20d%C3%ADas%20antes%20del%20ingreso. 

————. (2022, 23 de febrero). Vizzotti disertó junto al director de la OMS sobre transferencia tecnológica para la producción de vacunas de ARNm en el país. https://www.argentina.gob.ar/noticias/vizzotti-diserto-junto-al-director-de-la-oms-sobre-transferencia-tecnologica-para-la. 

Governo do Brasil. (2022, 28 de abril). Março registra criação de 136.189 empregos formais no país. https://www.gov.br/pt-br/noticias/trabalho-e-previdencia/2022/04/marco-registra-criacao-de-136-189-empregos-formais-no-pais. 

Hosteltur. (2022, 15 de febrero). PCR en aeropuerto retrasa ingreso a Chile; reclaman su eliminación. https://www.hosteltur.com/lat/149885_pcr-en-aeropuerto-retrasa-ingreso-a-chile-reclaman-su-eliminacion.html.

Infobae. (2022, 17 de enero). Recambio de quincena en Uruguay: masivo ingreso de turistas desde Argentina. https://www.infobae.com/america/america-latina/2022/01/17/recambio-de-quincena-en-uruguay-masivo-ingreso-de-turistas-desde-argentina/. 

————. (2022, 4 de febrero). Verano en Uruguay: ingresaron 340.000 turistas y más de la mitad son argentinos. https://www.infobae.com/america/america-latina/2022/02/04/verano-en-uruguay-ingresaron-340000-turistas-y-mas-de-la-mitad-son-argentinos/. 

Instituto Nacional de Estadística. (2022, February 1). Boletín Técnico: Actividad, Empleo y Desempleo. Diciembre 2021. https://www3.ine.gub.uy/boletin/Informe_MT_Diciembre_2021.html

Malinowski, M., & Baeza, J. (2022, March 18). Chile’s Year of Record Growth Reveals Early Signs of Slowdown. Yahoo Finance. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/chile-record-growth-reveals-early-125102707.html.

Mesa, P. (2022, 19 de mayo). Diego Labat: “Habíamos planteado objetivos muy ambiciosos” para bajar la inflación. El País. https://www.elpais.com.uy/negocios/noticias/diego-labat-habiamos-planteado-objetivos-ambiciosos-bajar-inflacion.html. 

Migraciones Paraguay. (n.d.). Exigencias sanitarias vigentes por COVID-19 para el ingreso al Paraguay. https://www.migraciones.gov.py/index.php/tramites/ingreso-y-salida-del-pais/exigencias-sanitarias-vigentes-por-covid-19-para-el-ingreso-al-paraguay.

Ministerio de Salud. (2022, 5 de febrero). Plan Fronteras Protegidas. Gobierno de Chile. https://saludresponde.minsal.cl/plan-fronteras-protegidas/. 

Molina, F. R. (2022, 16 de mayo). Chile entra al club de países con inflación de dos dígitos. El País. https://elpais.com/chile/2022-05-17/chile-entra-al-club-de-paises-con-inflacion-de-dos-digitos.html.

Montes, R. (2022, 7 de abril). Gabriel Boric anuncia un plan de recuperación económica para Chile por 3.700 millones de dólares. El País. https://elpais.com/economia/2022-04-07/gabriel-boric-anuncia-un-plan-de-recuperacion-economica-para-chile-por-3700-millones-de-dolares.html. 

Munita C., I. (2022, 15 de febrero). Inflación: Economistas dicen que “efectos de segunda vuelta” ya golpean a Chile y explican por qué preocupan. Emol.  https://www.emol.com/noticias/Economia/2022/02/15/1046800/economistas-efectos-segunda-vuelta-inflacion.html.

La Nación. (2022, 9 de enero). Turismo interno: Es caro, pero hay opciones para todos los bolsillos. https://www.lanacion.com.py/negocios/2022/01/09/turismo-interno-es-caro-pero-hay-opciones-para-todos-los-bolsillos/.

————. (2022, 16 de mayo). La agencia rusa Sputnik difundió un artículo contra la “traición” de Alberto Fernández. https://www.lanacion.com.ar/politica/la-agencia-rusa-sputnik-difunde-un-articulo-contra-la-traicion-de-alberto-fernandez-nid15052022/. 

————. (2022, 18 de mayo). Itaú: Inflación no da tregua en Paraguay. https://www.lanacion.com.py/negocios_edicion_impresa/2022/05/18/itau-inflacion-no-da-tregua-en-paraguay/.

Navas, M. (2022, 22 de enero). Sinovac revela dónde instalará su mega planta de vacunas en Chile. Diario Financiero. https://dfmas.df.cl/df-mas/por-dentro/asi-sera-el-aterrizaje-de-sinovac-en-chile. 

Narosky, S. (2022, 23 de enero). Inflación sin freno: las claves para pagar menos en tiempos en los que los precios suben a diario. Infobae. https://www.infobae.com/economia/2022/01/23/inflacion-sin-freno-las-claves-para-pagar-menos-en-tiempos-en-los-que-los-precios-suben-a-diario/. 

El Observador. (2022, 22 de febrero). Moderna anuncia su alianza con un laboratorio uruguayo. https://www.elobservador.com.uy/nota/moderna-anuncia-su-alianza-con-un-laboratorio-uruguayo-202222219307 .  

El País. (2022, 20 de enero). ¿Qué esperan los agentes económicos que pase con la economía, el dólar y la inflación? https://www.elpais.com.uy/negocios/noticias/analistas-poco-pesimistas.html. 

Pan American Health Organization. (2021, December 23). PAHO welcomes first WHO emergency use listing of COVID-19 vaccines produced in Latin America. https://www.paho.org/en/news/23-12-2021-paho-welcomes-first-who-emergency-use-listing-covid-19-vaccine-produced-latin. 

Parks, K. (2022, March 2). Paraguay Inflation Surges to Highest Since 2011 on Food and Fuel. Bloomberg.Com. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-02/paraguay-inflation-surges-to-highest-since-2011-on-food-and-fuel.

Reuters. (2022, January 31). Latam inflation anchored but risks persist -IMF. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/latam-inflation-anchored-risks-persist-imf-2022-01-31/?emci=1b74897b-7383-ec11-94f6-281878b85110&emdi=0d861a3d-7483-ec11-94f6-281878b85110&ceid=4606001. 

Rodríguez, A. (2022, 4 de febrero). Turismo en Chile 2021 vs. 2022: Cómo el Covid cambió el verano. La Tercera. https://www.latercera.com/la-tercera-sabado/noticia/turismo-en-chile-2021-vs-2022-como-el-covid-cambio-el-verano/7E2GAGU5EBCI7G7FVTKEFVKCDU/.

Rosati, A., Malinowski, M. (2022, May 11). Brazil’s Inflation Hits Highest Since 2003 as Food Prices Soar. Bloomberg. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-11/brazil-s-consumer-prices-rise-more-than-forecast-on-food-costs?srnd=fixed-income&emci=0006866e-f7d1-ec11-b656-281878b8c32f&emdi=984161ab-f8d1-ec11-b656-281878b8c32f&ceid=4606001. 

Rosemberg, J. (2022, 16 de mayo). El Gobierno minimiza las acusaciones de Rusia y asegura que no habrá cambios en la relación por las vacunas. La Nación. https://www.lanacion.com.ar/politica/el-gobierno-minimiza-las-acusaciones-de-rusia-y-asegura-que-no-habra-cambios-en-la-relacion-por-las-nid16052022/.

Stott, M. (2022, February 10). Rate rises fail to stem Latin America inflation, Chile finance minister warns. Financial Times. https://www.ft.com/content/b17babc7-8cdc-4270-b2ff-3b41596d3855.  

Última Hora. (2022, 16 de mayo). Al menos 60.000 nuevos desempleados en Paraguay. https://www.ultimahora.com/al-menos-60000-nuevos-desempleados-paraguay-n3001804.html.

Social and Cultural Inclusion Spring 2022:

ABC Color. (2022, 15 de febrero). MEC insiste en que vacunación no es obligatoria para regreso a clases y pide tener cuidado con desinformación—Nacionales. https://www.abc.com.py/nacionales/2022/02/15/mec-insiste-en-que-vacunacion-no-es-obligatoria-para-regreso-a-clases-y-pide-tener-cuidado-con-desinformacion/.  

————. (2022, April 18). MEC: Alumnos sanos dejarán de usar tapabocas y no estarán distanciados en aulas. https://www.abc.com.py/nacionales/2022/04/18/mec-alumnos-sanos-dejaran-de-usar-tapabocas-y-no-estaran-distanciados-en-aulas/.

Bordón, M., Lezcano Flores, C. E., Canavire-Bacarreza, G., & Recalde-Ramírez, L. (2022, 17 de febrero). La cara femenina del impacto de la pandemia en Paraguay. Banco Mundial Blogs. https://blogs.worldbank.org/es/latinamerica/la-cara-femenina-del-impacto-de-la-pandemia-en-paraguay.

Chabay, E. (2022, 30 de enero). Pese al IFE Argentina está entre los países donde más creció la pobreza en América Latina. El Cronista. https://www.cronista.com/economia-politica/pese-al-ife-argentina-esta-entre-los-paises-donde-mas-crecio-la-pobreza-en-america-latina/. 

CNN Chile. (2022, 21 de marzo). Mineduc y Minsal presentan nuevas medidas para el manejo del COVID-19 en colegios. https://www.cnnchile.com/pais/mineduc-minsal-medidas-manejo-covid19-colegios_20220321/. 

Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL). (2022, January 27). Ministras y altas autoridades  instan a incorporar la perspectiva de género en las políticas de respuesta y recuperación ante la  pandemia e incluir a las mujeres y niñas en su diseño y ejecución [Text]. CEPAL. https://www.cepal.org/es/noticias/ministras-altas-autoridades-instan-incorporar-la-perspectiva-genero-politicas-respuesta.

————.  (2022).  Panorama Social de América  Latina, 2021, Santiago. https://repositorio.cepal.org/bitstream/handle/11362/47718/1/S2100655_es.pdf.

Conselho Nacional de Secretários de Educação – Consed. (2022, 27 de janeiro). Ano letivo e ações emergenciais nas redes estaduais de ensino. Consed. https://www.consed.org.br/coronavirus.

EFE. (2022, 9 de mayo). Educación ‘híbrida’ y sin temor a la pantalla: nueva meta de Iberoamérica. El Tiempo. https://www.eltiempo.com/vida/educacion/educacion-hibrida-la-nueva-meta-de-iberoamerica-670969. 

Escolas Exponenciais. (2022, 22 de março). Fragilidades dos protocolos sanitários são identificadas na volta das aulas presenciais. https://exnews.escolasexponenciais.com.br/educacao-na-pandemia/fragilidades-dos-protocolos-sanitarios-sao-identificadas-na-volta-das-aulas-presenciais/.

Fernandez, M. (2022, 11 de mayo).  Alejandro Finocchiaro presentó un proyecto de ley para que haya clases incluso en los paros docentes. Infobae. https://www.infobae.com/educacion/2022/05/11/alejandro-finocchiaro-presentara-un-proyecto-de-ley-para-que-haya-clases-incluso-en-los-paros-docentes/. 

Freire, K. (2022, 17 de mayo). Argentina: se registró al menos un femicidio por día en lo que va del 2022. A24. https://www.a24.com/policiales/argentina-se-registro-al-menos-un-femicidio-dia-lo-que-va-del-2022-n1016971. 

Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz). (n.d.). Insegurança alimentar de mulheres e suas famílias no contexto da pandemia no Brasil. https://portal.fiocruz.br/sites/portal.fiocruz.br/files/documentos_2/genero_e_covid19_inseguranca_alimentar.pdf.

Garcia, M. (2022, 17 de febrero 17). Así es el protocolo del Mineduc para el regreso a clases. Duna 89.7. https://www.duna.cl/tema-del-dia/2022/02/17/ministerio-de-educacion-dio-a-conocer-el-protocolo-para-el-regreso-a-clases-presenciales-con-aforo-completo-mandaras-a-tus-hijos/.

Gobierno de Argentina. (2022, 10 de febrero). El Presidente, Vizzotti y Perczyk presentaron el protocolo Aula Cuidada y Segura para el manejo y control de COVID-19 en establecimientos educativos en los niveles inicial, primario y secundario. https://www.argentina.gob.ar/noticias/el-presidente-vizzotti-y-perczyk-presentaron-el-protocolo-aula-cuidada-y-segura-para-el. 

Granadillo. (2022, 9 de marzo). Día Internacional de la Mujer, una jornada de reivindicaciones en Latinoamérica. France 24. https://www.france24.com/es/am%C3%A9rica-latina/20220309-dia-internacional-mujer-manifestaciones-latinoamerica.

Guerrero, F. (2022, 27 de enero). Cepal: Pobreza en Chile subió a 14,2% en 2020 por pandemia, pero sigue como la segunda menor de la región. La Tercera. https://www.latercera.com/pulso/noticia/cepal-pobreza-en-chile-subio-a-142-en-2020-por-pandemia-pero-sigue-como-la-segunda-menor-de-la-region/EOIBGDZ2DZGINNAFWCCMMAINIU/.

Juarez, B. (2022, 18 de mayo). Crisis económica por Covid-19 sumará a 8.9 millones de menores al trabajo infantil. El Economista. https://www.eleconomista.com.mx/capitalhumano/Crisis-economica-por-Covid-19-sumara-a-8.9-millones-de-menores-al-trabajo-infantil-20220517-0124.html. 

Laborde, A. (2022, 13 de mayo). Chile lidia con la violencia escolar tras uno de los cierres de colegios más extensos del mundo. El País. https://elpais.com/chile/2022-05-13/chile-lidia-con-la-violencia-escolar-tras-uno-de-los-cierres-de-colegios-mas-extensos-del-mundo.html.

Lanfranchi, J. (2022, 16 de febrero). Filicidios e infanticidios: ¿Por qué preocupan a los expertos los asesinatos de niños en la Argentina? La Nación. https://www.lanacion.com.ar/seguridad/filicidios-e-infanticidios-por-que-preocupan-a-los-expertos-los-asesinatos-de-ninos-en-la-argentina-nid15022022/. 

McCoy, T. (2022, February 6). Floundering in the Polls, Brazil’s Bolsonaro Woos a Surprising New Demographic: The Poor. Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/02/06/brazil-bolsonaro-lula-election/.

Ministerio de Educación del Gobierno de Chile. (2022, febrero). Protocolo de medidas sanitarias y vigilancia epidemiológica para establecimientos educacionales. https://sigamosaprendiendo.mineduc.cl/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/ProtocoloMedidasSanitariasEE-2022.pdf.

La Nación. (2022, 10 de febrero). Protocolo retorno a clases: Reducen a 91 centímetros el distanciamiento entre alumnos. https://www.lanacion.com.py/pais/2022/02/10/protocolo-retorno-a-clases-reducen-a-91-centimetros-el-distanciamiento-entre-alumnos/. 

Organización Internacional de Trabajo. (2022, 3 de marzo). América Latina y Caribe: Políticas de igualdad de género  y mercado de trabajo durante la pandemia. https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—americas/—ro-lima/documents/publication/wcms_838520.pdf.

Prazeres, L. (2022, 18 de maio). Homeschooling: o que muda com projeto aprovado na Câmara, mas que ainda vai ao Senado. BBC News Brasil. https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/brasil-61501821. 

Radio Duna. (2022, 21 de febrero). Pese a la pandemia: Chile es el país con los multimillonarios más ricos de América Latina. Duna 89.7. https://www.duna.cl/noticias/2022/02/21/chile-se-trasforma-en-el-pais-con-mas-multimillonarios-de-america-latina-pese-a-la-pandemia/. 

Régia da Silva, V., & Sacagami, V. (2022, 31 de março). Entre as gestantes e puérperas mortas por covid-19, 54% são negras. Género e Número. https://www.generonumero.media/gestantes-negras-covid/.

Reimers, F. (2022, January 25). How to Reverse COVID’s Toll on Latin American Education. Americas Quarterly. https://americasquarterly.org/article/how-to-reverse-covids-toll-on-latin-american-education/. 

Ruiz Díaz, H. R. (2022, 21 de febrero). Estudiantes vuelven a clases en modo covid. ABC Color. https://www.abc.com.py/nacionales/2022/02/21/estudiantes-vuelven-a-clases-en-modo-covid/.

Silva, D. (2022, 2 de mayo). Desde el 30 de mayo a los cursos de 1° básico a IV° medio se les exigirá un 80% de cobertura en vacunación. La Tercera. https://www.latercera.com/nacional/noticia/desde-el-30-de-mayo-a-los-cursos-de-1-basico-a-iv-medio-se-les-exigira-un-80-de-cobertura-en-vacunacion/NT6RJ4ZYCBCOHPMDHQUV3XPH5A.

Sweigart, E. (2022, January 25).  Graphic: The Hard Truth About Latin America’s Education Crisis. Americas Quarterly. https://americasquarterly.org/article/graphic-the-hard-truth-about-latin-americas-education-crisis/. 

Telám. (2022, 3 de marzo). En lo que va del año se registró un femicidio cada 26 horas. https://www.telam.com.ar/notas/202203/585094-registro-de-femicidios-2022-casa-del-encuentro.html.

UNICEF. (2022, 25 de febrero). Niñas y niños se reencuentran en las escuelas de Paraguay. https://www.unicef.org/paraguay/comunicados-prensa/ni%C3%B1as-y-ni%C3%B1os-se-reencuentran-en-las-escuelas-de-paraguay. 

————. (2022, 28 de enero). Uruguay firmó préstamo con el BID para crear programa que aborde la violencia de género. República Oriental del Uruguay. https://www.gub.uy/presidencia/comunicacion/noticias/uruguay-firmo-prestamo-bid-para-crear-programa-aborde-violencia-genero. 

Uruguay Presidencia. (2021, 6 de diciembre). Pobreza en Uruguay se redujo en 50.000 personas en el primer semestre de 2021. República Oriental del Uruguay. https://www.gub.uy/presidencia/comunicacion/noticias/pobreza-uruguay-se-redujo-50000-personas-primer-semestre-2021#:~:text=Uruguay%20Presidencia,-Presidencia&text=Seg%C3%BAn%20el%20%C3%BAltimo%20informe%20del,con%20el%20promedio%20de%202020. 

————. (2022, 28 de enero). Uruguay firmó préstamo con el BID para crear programa que aborde la violencia de género. República Oriental del Uruguay. https://www.gub.uy/presidencia/comunicacion/noticias/uruguay-firmo-prestamo-bid-para-crear-programa-aborde-violencia-genero. 

Urwicz, T. (2022, 25 de enero). Gobierno apelará a aulas virtuales para sumar horas de clase. El País. https://www.elpais.com.uy/informacion/educacion/gobierno-apelara-aulas-virtuales-sumar-horas-clase.html. 

Villegas Plá, B. (2022, 8 de marzo). Un nuevo enfoque sobre los cuidados en el mundo post covid en América Latina. LSE Latin America and Caribbean Blog. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/latamcaribbean/2022/03/03/a-new-approach-to-care-policies-in-the-post-co.

 

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