The Impact of COVID-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean

COVID-19 effects on the global economy are expected to be worse than those of the 2008-2009 financial crisis, and in Latin America and the Caribbean, where 30% of the population lives below the poverty line and close to 12% live in extreme poverty, the effects will likely be catastrophic.

The COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America and the Caribbean will require multilateral response and aid to manage and recover from the crisis. The United States has always been the only country to offer significant aid and lead multinational humanitarian and crisis response efforts in the Western Hemisphere. For the first time since the 19th century, extra hemispheric powers, in this case, Russia and China, are present and challenging U.S. influence and power in a significant way, as appearing to take a leadership role. This challenge to the U.S. position and influence in its own hemisphere may have the most significant long-term implications for the United States as a global power. In this discussion Dr. Fick will address several key questions about the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on democracy, governance, and economic conditions. in the Latin America and the Caribbean countries, and will describe the kinds of shifts should we might expect in the regional dynamics and international relations with the United States and extra-hemispheric actors.