In summary:
- The corona virus is hitting a region of the world whose health systems are in no way prepared for an epidemic of this magnitude and whose social and economic disruptions as a result of the crisis are still very difficult to assess.
- Latin America has become the hotspot of the pandemic with the sad result of steadily rising infection and death rates.
- In addition to the health consequences of the corona pandemic, the countries of Latin America fear the economic consequences that the national shutdowns and global recession will bring.
- The restrictions on public life and the impending economic crisis are hitting the many people working in the informal sector and the poorest in Latin America hardest.
- Some countries in the region will not be able to finance the corona measures and cushion the economic crisis on their own, but will be dependent on support from international organisations and donor countries.
- The countries of the Cono Sur - Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay - deal differently with the spread of the corona virus and have been hit by the crisis in different situations.
- Despite relatively good crisis management in the Andean states, the economies of the region are expecting a deep slump in their economic output and a sharp increase in poverty as a result of the corona crisis.
- In the Central American countries and Mexico, neither the health, social nor economic consequences are foreseeable at present.
- Thanks to a solid health care system, the efficient response of the government and the disciplined behaviour of its people, Costa Rica has one of the lowest mortality rates in the world.
- The crisis management of Brazil and Mexico, countries ruled by populist presidents, is inadequate and responsible for high infection and death rates.
You can download the whole report as pdf in German.
