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Where Is the Coronavirus in Latin America? | AS/COA

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3 days ago - The coronavirus landed in Latin America on February 26, bringing with it health and economic risks. See what countries so far have confirmed ...
‎Coronavirus and Latin ... · ‎Video: The Impact of the ... · ‎LatAm in Focus: Dr. Julio ...

AS/COA

Where Is the Coronavirus in Latin America?

Coronavirus in Latin America
A worker produces hand sanitizer in Brazil. (AP)
Luisa Horwitz, Paola Nagovitch, Holly K. Sonneland, and Carin Zissis
April 10, 2020
The coronavirus landed in Latin America on February 26, bringing with it health and economic risks. See what countries so far have confirmed cases and how governments are responding.
What's the answer to the question in the title? Everywhere.
The coronavirus landed in Latin America on February 26, when Brazil confirmed a case in São Paulo. Since then, governments across the region have taken an array of actions to protect their citizens and contain COVID-19’s spread.
Aside from the health risks, there will be an economic impact as well. On March 2, the OECD decreased global GDP growth expectations for the year by half a point to 2.4 percent. Prior to the epidemic, the IMF predicted 1.6 percent GDP growth for the region for 2020. In a perfect storm for economies, dropping oil prices have resulted in plunging Latin American markets and currencies.
Below, AS/COA Online takes a look at measures taken and economic impact felt in Latin America.
In other parts of the Americas, as of April 6, cases had been confirmed in Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, the Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Belize, Cayman Islands, Canada, Curacao, Dominica, Falkland Islands, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Sint Eustatius and Saba, St. George's, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Marteen, St. Martin, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Virgin Islands, and the United States.
ArgentinaDominican RepublicPanama
BoliviaEcuadorParaguay
BrazilEl SalvadorPeru
ChileGuatemalaPuerto Rico
ColombiaHondurasUruguay
Costa RicaMexicoVenezuela
CubaNicaragua 

This article was originally published on March 5 and has been updated with new information.
 

Argentina
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Government response
  • On April 7, the government said after a meeting with the country's governors it would extend national quarantine until April 23. On April 1, the government extended the measure of closed borders—initially announced March 26 and covering ports, airports, and land borders—until April 12. The reentry of Argentine nationals and residents who are abroad will be monitored, and high-risk groups will be prioritized to enter first. On March 29, the government had extended the quarantine until April 12, the end of Easter week, and on April 7, the Education Ministry said that schools will remain closed until April 13 at the earliest, and the school calendar may be further altered.
  • On March 19, the government announced obligatory quarantine from March 20 through March 31. During this time, all Argentines must stay in their homes and may only leave when necessary for necessities such as going to stores or pharmacies, or to buy gas.  The president said that authorities would patrol the streets to make sure citizens comply.
  • President of the Chamber of Deputies Sergio Massa announced on March 19 that he will meet every 15 days with members of the opposition to jointly analyze government responses in face of the pandemic.
  • On March 18, President Alberto Fernández promised to build eight emergency hospitals to combat the virus. After a meeting with cabinet ministers on March 17, the government announced more measures, such as extending leaves of absence for workers above 65 years of age, flexibilizing remote work, and fiscal measures such as minimizing individual and corporate taxes. The Commerce Ministry will tighten price controls and supply, and the Central Bank will loosen monetary policy.
  • On March 17, Fernández widened permissions for public workers to work remotely, and emphasized that this measure should be taken up by the private sector as well.
  • On March 12, Fernández announced new measures via a “Necessity and Urgency Decree” including canceling all incoming flights from China, Europe, Iran, Japan, South Korea, and the United States for 30 days. 
Economic impact and measures
  • On April 7, S&P Global Ratings downgraded Argentina over the country’s April 5 decision to delay $10 billion in debt payments, joining Fitch Ratings and Moody’s Investors Service to cut the country’s sovereign credit ratings in less than one week. The decree delaying the debt payment is separate from the roughly $70 billion in foreign currency owed under international law that the country is working to negotiate with creditors.
  • In an effort to control price gouging, the government on April 9 announced cooperation with the Interior Commerce Secretariat to control and regulate municipalities’ prices of basic goods across the country, including food and medicine.
  • On April 3, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said that its annual consultation with Argentina may take place remotely for the government to move forward in its debt renegotiations as it seeks to refinance. Four days prior, Fernández said negotiations might have to wait as the pandemic response takes priority.
  • On April 1, the government announced it will eliminate import taxes on critical medical supplies for the duration of the health crisis.
  • Fernández decreed on April 1 that firing employees during this time without just cause or for cutbacks is prohibited for 60 days. On the same day, the government announced the Emergency Employment and Production Assistance Program, which includes postponing or reducing up to 95 percent of employer payments to the Argentine social security agency, as well as a compensatory salary for workers in companies of up to 100 employees who meet conditions such as being in obligatory quarantine or at high health risk, or whose commission-based productivity has been highly affected.
  • On March 29, the government announced a suspension of evictions for those who can’t pay their rent, as well as a rent freeze based on March rent rates until September 30, after which rent increases would be paid in three monthly payments without interest. Fernández also announced the freezing of mortgage loan rates until September 30.
  • On March 25, the World Bank announced it will lend Argentina $300 million in emergency funds, totaling $165 million in 2020 and $135 in 2021.The Economy Minister Martín Guzmán and Labor Minister Claudio Moroni announced on March 23 the implementation of a family emergency income of nearly $157 for the month April, subject to extension. This measure targets self-employed and informal workers between ages 18 and 65 who have lost all forms of income since the coronavirus outbreak. The government also announced it will raise salaries by roughly $470 for medical workers at public and private hospitals as an incentive to reduce rising absences since the viral outbreak.
Bolivia
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Government response
  • Pulmonologist Marcelo Navajas was sworn in as Bolivia’s new health minister on April 8, after Cruz stepped down abruptly, citing personal reasons.
  • On April 2, a shipment of 100,000 masks, 20,000 COVID-19 tests, and five respirators sent from China arrived in La Paz.
  • On March 25, Interim President Jeanine Añez extended the health emergency and full border closure another two weeks, through April 15. On March 30, the government said it was no longer going to try and repatriate 150 Bolivians in a Chilean border town looking to return. The government further tightened the window for movements, with just one person per household to go out between 7 a.m. and 12 noon on weekdays. 
  • On March 21, the interim government declared a national quarantine to start March 22 and end April 4. Markets will be open during this period until midday and one person per family will be allowed to leave home and make purchases. Factories, banks, and centers for production of basic goods will continue to operate normally. Cuts to internet service are prohibited.
  • Also on March 21, the country’s electoral tribunal declared that the special election for president, slated for May 3, would be postponed. No new date was set.
  • In the afternoon of March 17, Añez announced that she was closing all of Bolivia’s land borders except to returning citizens and residents and suspending international flights, effective March 19. Domestically, the government mandated that the work day be reduced to five hours, that markets close at 3 p.m., and that public transport stop at 4 p.m. each day. These measures will be in effect through at least March 31.
  • On March 15, Añez announced that, effective March 16, most social activities would be banned, including in bars, event spaces, movie theaters, and gyms. She reduced the limit of people at public gatherings to 100. She also announced that, as of March 18, no visitors from Europe or Iran would be allowed into the country, and that Bolivian nationals returning from those places would need to submit themselves to World Health Organization (WHO) isolation protocols. 
  • On March 12, Bolivia’s education minister announced the suspension of all classes through March 31.
  • Añez declared a national state of emergency on March 11.
Economic impact and measures
  • The government eliminated import taxes on wheat for two years, in an effort to maintain food supplies, on April 8.
  • A private-sector consortium donated $3.2 million to the government’s relief efforts. The group included members from the banking, mining, and beverage sectors, as well as a personal donation from businessman Samuel Doria Medina, who is also the running mate for Añez in the postponed special presidential election.
  • On March 17, the Bolivian Senate passed a bill that would allow for a “financial pause” on all payments for loans under roughly $10,000, flexibilization for loans over $10,000, and a restructuring once the health crisis is over. On March 18, Añez also announced that utility services can’t be suspended, some corporate taxes will be deferred, and families will receive a $75 credit in April for each public-school student in the home.
Brazil
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Government response
Economic impact and measures
  • On April 9, nearly 2.6 million of an expected 42.3 million people, or 20 percent of the population, received the first $117 monthly transfer that is part of the government’s emergency universal income plan signed by the president on March 31. On April 1, the government had announced a measure aimed at reducing job losses, allowing companies to reduce worker salaries for three months or suspend them for two months, and the government will subsidize those affected proportional to the unemployment benefits they can claim. The program will cost the government roughly $17.5 billion. The government had also announced on March 27 it will pay the equivalent of two monthly salaries for workers employed by small- and medium-sized businesses who have annual earnings between $70,500 and $1.9 million.
  • On April 8, voting was interrupted on the measure by southern-state governors asking for federal funds to compensate for losses in tax revenue, as well as proposing a constitutional amendment to waive the fiscal spending and debt limits for 12 months, among other measures. The voting session stopped due to disagreement over the financial impact of such measures, as President of the Chamber of Deputies Rodrigo Maia estimated that it would cost $6.99 billion, while the Economy Ministry said costs would be much at around $35.6 billion. The session will resume April 9.
  • On April 7, the federal government added $4 billion into workers’ severance fund, making possible a withdrawal of $200 per worker, available on June 15. Economy Minister Paulo Guedes had announced a stimulus measure on March 16 of over $29 billion to accelerate social assistance payments, defer corporate taxes, and ease severance fund access.
  • Since the Senate passed a March 20 state of calamity measure allowing for additional federal funds to combat the pandemic, the government has continued to offer economic relief to healthcare and small businesses. On April 7, the Senate approved a bill offering a credit line of roughly $2.1 billion to small businesses, provided that they do not lay off employees. The bill will now be voted on in the Chamber. On April 3, the Chamber of Deputies passed a “war budget” to separate COVID-19 spending from the federal budget to last until December 31, granting the Central Bank bond-buying power to help calm financial markets. On the same day, the government also freed up roughly $1.8 billion to support public health, adding about $2.7 billion more to the healthcare budget. These measures came after the development bank BNDES had announced on March 30 it will give roughly $388 million in credit to the health sector to increase the number of ICU beds and medical equipment. On March 25, the Health Ministry had also announced the freeing up of roughly $119 million to be distributed to states. These funds come in addition to the previous $79.2 million distributed earlier in March. The government, when announcing the state of calamity, said it could result in a deficit of over $30 billion, above the predetermined ceiling of roughly $24 billion.
  • On April 4, Guedes announced the advancing of 2020 holidays—with the exception of good Friday on April 10, worker’s day on May 1, and Christmas on December 25—for economic activity to recover faster once quarantine is lifted.
  • On March 26, the Health Ministry estimated the pandemic would cost the healthcare system just under $2 billion, and the government is asking the World Bank for a $100 billion loan.
  • On March 11, Brazil's federal government decided to dedicate at least $1 billion of a budget bill to the Health Ministry. The Ministry determined that around $185 million will be transferred to states and municipalities to cover extended hours in public health facilities, distributed according to state population.
  • The Brazilian stock market tumbled 7 percent on news of the first case, amounting to the biggest depreciation since May 2017. The Central Bank announced its revised growth projections on April 6 to -1.18 percent, down from a previous 0 percent on March 26. On April 3, the Brazilian real devalued 1.15 percent, reaching a record low of R$5.32 per U.S. dollar.
Chile
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Government response
  • Starting April 8, the use of protective masks is mandatory on public and private transport across Chile, a measure to be monitored by health authorities as well as the Chilean armed forces and the national police.
  • On April 2, the Health Ministry announced mandatory quarantine and health checkpoints would be established at 950 senior nursing facilities.
  • On March 31, Undersecretary of Public Health Paula Daza announced that lockdown will continue for six municipalities in Santiago for another seven days. The island of Rapa Nui’s quarantine will continue for two more weeks. This came after a March 25 announcement in which the government declared a seven-day quarantine, for seven heavily affected municipalities starting March 26 at 10 p.m. It will also create health checkpoints in Santiago to enforce quarantine rules.
  • On March 25, the government announced that schools will remain closed past the two-week period announced on March 16 and until April 24 at the earliest.
  • On March 24, President Sebastián Piñera announced a new labor law regulating and facilitating remote work, including mandatory requirements that stipulate work vs. personal time. In addition, the government established a maximum cost of $30 for the COVID-19 test in private healthcare facilities. On the same day, Daza announced a curfew from 2 p.m to 5 a.m. on Easter Island after confirming a first case in the territory.
  • On March 22, the government announced that it would implement a curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. starting the same evening.
  • Political parties and the Electoral Service agreed on March 19 to postpone the constitutional referendum to October 25 amid the coronavirus pandemic crisis.
  • On March 18, Piñera declared a nationwide state of catastrophe as of March 19 for 90 days, following the government’s Action Plan. This includes banning gatherings in public spaces, controlling the distribution of basic necessities, establishing a quarantine and curfew, and limiting people’s movement across cities and the country, all with the help of the Armed Forces.
  • On March 16, the government said the country entered the most complex phase of risk (phase 4), and that it would be closing all borders as of March 18, allowing only Chilean citizens to reenter the country with an obligatory two-week quarantine. This came after a March 14, the country expanded the list of countries from which arriving travelers would be placed in quarantine to include China, France, Germany, Iran, Japan, and South Korea. 
Economic impact and measures
Colombia
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Government response
  • Beginning April 13, Bogotá will institute movement restrictions by gender, with men going out on “odd” days, and women on “even” days.
  • On April 6, Duque announced that the national quarantine is extended through midnight on April 27. He also extended the suspension of in-person classes in all Colombian schools until May 31 after having decreed an initial suspension from March 16 to April 20. Students have transitioned to online learning.
  • In an interview with El Tiempo published April 6, Duque indicated that if and when the initial national quarantine ends, he’d like to move the country toward “intelligent preventive isolation” and begin to reopen the country to the degree it is able to keep atop of the pandemic’s spread. While he did not say exactly what measures would be lifted, he did say that this next phase would see older adults isolating longer than younger people.
  • In a bit of political sparring between Bogotá’s left-wing mayor and the conservative president, Claudia López announced that the city government is preparing for a three-month-long quarantine, while the Duque administration is reportedly considering an “accordion-style” quarantine strategy with seven, 10-week periods oscillating between expanded and lighter restrictions. In an April 2 Polimétrica poll, Colombians gave López an 82 percent approval rating, and 62 percent for the president. Back in November, Duque’s approval rating in a separate poll hovered at 26 percent. Over 95 percent of respondents in the Polimétrica survey supported the closing of the borders and economic relief packages, and 83 percent supported the state of emergency. Three in five people said they or someone in their household had lost work in March.
  • On March 20, Duque announced that, starting on the night of March 24, the country will begin a nationwide quarantine that will last through April 13. Inbound international commercial flights are suspended starting March 23 for 30 days, and Colombian citizens traveling abroad were urged to return by the evening of March 22. On March 21, the Duque appointed former Commerce Minister Luis Guillermo Plata to lead coordination of the country’s coronavirus response.
  • On March 17, Duque declared a state of emergency and announced that people 70 years old and older are obligated to stay in their homes and isolate themselves through May.
  • On March 16, Duque announced the closing of all of Colombia’s borders and ports as of March 17 at midnight through May 30, with only certain import shipments allowed in. The measure applies equally to citizens as well as foreigners. Within the country’s borders, Duque also mandated the closing of all bars and nightlife spaces and no social gatherings of more than 50 people. The day before, Duque announced that entry into the country for all foreigners and non-residents will be restricted, and that all nationals and permanent residents arriving in the country will be required to go under self-quarantine for 14 days upon return.
  • On March 13, Duque stepped up prevention measures including shutting down the border with Venezuela starting 5 a.m. on March 14. Between 20,000 and 50,000 people cross the Colombian-Venezuelan border per day, many of whom are Venezuelans seeking basic foodstuffs, supplies, and medical treatment as their country endures a prolonged economic crisis. 
Economic impact and measures
  • The Colombian government has asked for a total of $14 billion in loans from international lenders, including $11 billion from the IMF, and $3 billion collectively from the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, and the CAF – Development Bank of Latin America. Local economists estimate that one month of national quarantine costs between $15 and $20 billion, or about 4.5 to 6.1 percent of GDP. 
    On April 8, López announced she is allocating $128 million to a project aimed at providing half a million lower-class families in Bogotá with financial support.
  • On March 27, S&P downgraded Colombia’s credit rating from stable to negative, warning that the country could lose its investment grade status in the next 12 to 18 months.
  • Duque announced a new set of economic measures on March 24 as the national quarantine went into effect, including disbursements of about $40 to 3 million low income families, the virtual deployment of about 2,500 mental health professionals, the distribution of 23 tons of food and 96 million gallons of water to vulnerable populations, and easing some conditions for student loan repayments.
  • In conjunction with the national quarantine, Duque announced a series of economic relief measures, including accelerated tax refunds, the elimination of import taxes on medical supplies and technology, reinstatement of water services, a grace period on mortgage and loan payments for small- and medium-sized enterprises, and special lines of credit for the agriculture, tourism, and aviation sectors.
Costa Rica
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Government response
  • A series of measures will go into effect for Semana Santa between April 3 and 12, including a stricter nighttime vehicle restriction in place 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. and two new daytime vehicle restrictions based on license plate numbers. Most commercial businesses must remain closed for the week, with the exception of delivery services, grocery stores, and pharmacies.
  • On March 31, the government announced plans to reform transit laws in public roads, including stricter vehicle restrictions to help both the Health and public Security Ministries better fulfill their roles in cases of national emergency.
  • On March 28, the Health Ministry announced that all establishments open to the public must close at 8 p.m. each night starting on March 29. Exceptions are in place for pharmacies and food businesses.
  • During the evening of March 24, Costa Rican authorities began transferring some 2,600 migrants—mostly from Africa, Asia, and Haiti—from the country’s southern border with Panama to its northern border with Nicaragua, citing containment efforts. Nicaragua subsequently closed unauthorized entry points on the shared border.
  • On March 24, President Carlos Alvarado requested that WHO create a repository of information available to all member countries that includes patents of diagnostic tests and practices, medication, and vaccines. Alvarado also requested that the organization develop a procedure for the implementation of this information-sharing initiative with financial support from both the public and private sectors as well as other international organizations.
  • On March 23, Alvarado instituted four new measures to go into effect March 24: closing all beaches and religious centers across the country, instituting a nationwide car restriction that prohibits most people from driving between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. On March 28, the government expanded restrictions for cars so that they cannot circulate between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. on weekend nights.
  • Alvarado declared a state of emergency on March 16, announcing that the country would close its borders to foreigners and non-residents starting just before midnight on March 18 through at least April 12. Citizens and residents of the country will be required to undergo a two-week quarantine. Travelers with layovers will be able to transit the country. On April 6, the government extended the travel restrictions until April 30. Residents and tourists who leave the country during this time will not be allowed reentry until at least May 1. 
  • On March 15, Health Minister Daniel Salas announced all bars, casinos, and nightclubs will close. Regarding restaurants, he said they will be closed for 30 days in cases where they do not meet the rule of staying below the 50 percent capacity limit.
  • On March 12, the government announced it would issue preventative school closings in cases of high risk factors to start the week of March 16, that public spaces should operate at 50 percent capacity, and that international travel for public-sector workers has been cancelled. Large gatherings were also suspended. The Health Ministry announced that it will no longer report suspected cases in the country as of March 11, though Health Minister Daniel Salas acknowledged that the country’s number of suspected cases exceeds the testing capacity of Costa Rica’s national lab. 
Economic impact and measures
  • On March 30, the Costa Rican Restaurants Chamber reported that 7,980 restaurants closed in March leading to 109,440 layoffs.
  • On March 19, Alvarado signed into law tax relief legislation that effectively places a moratorium on four types of taxes from April through June: the Value-Added Tax, profit taxes, selective consumption taxes, and tariffs on imported merchandise. 
  • Costa Rica’s national emergency commission received a $1 million aid package from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration to combat the virus in the country.
  • The pandemic will have a significant impact, given the importance of tourism to Costa Rica’s economy, with 3.1 million people visiting in 2019 and 220,000 people employed in the industry. Tourism accounts for 8.2 percent of the country’s GDP.
Cuba
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Government response
  • On April 7, the government declared that the country had entered a phase of “limited local transmission.” Under this phase, the Defense Councils across the country will set up quarantines in neighborhoods or municipalities with suspected or confirmed local transmission.
  • Cuban officials will begin distributing doses of PrevengHo-Vir, a Cuban-manufactured homeopathic remedy, to the elderly and other vulnerable populations as a way to combat the spread within the country. The drug “increases resistance, the body’s defenses against a certain virus,” according to Francisco Durán, who heads epidemiology at the Health Ministry.
  • On April 1, the government suspended this year’s May Day parade and announced that prices for cell phone data and voice usage would be lower in the mornings. Rates for national long distance calls will also be reduced by 25 percent between 6 a.m. and 5:59 p.m. and by 50 percent between 6 p.m. and 5:59 a.m. The government will also add 10 hours to the at-home internet service Nauta Hogar for the month of April.
  • On March 31, the government announced the suspension of all commercial and charter flights to the island starting April 2, prohibiting also all foreign sea traffic in Cuban waters.
  • On March 23, Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero announced the closure of schools and universities until April 20, subject to extension. The government also suspended cross-island travel, and tourism is officially shut down indefinitely.
  • As of March 24, foreigners and Cubans living abroad may not enter the island, and Cuban residents returning must be quarantined for two weeks.  
  • Over the weekend of March 21, the Cuban government announced it would send a brigade of 52 doctors to Italy to support efforts to contain the virus there.
  • On March 16, Cuba’s Health Ministry announced it will allow the British cruise ship MS Braemar to dock, following a UK request. The ship has several confirmed infected passengers. The Cuban government will give medical attention to all those onboard and coordinate repatriation via air.
  • On March 14, the Cuban government announced that it would remain open to visitors, saying those who arrived would be welcomed.
Economic impact and measures
  • On March 26, the government announced the temporary suspension of more than 16,000 work licenses for entrepreneurs, including landlords, contract workers, restaurant workers, and craftsmen.
  • The Cuban government has enlisted the country’s textile industry to fabricate cloth masks while urging the population to make washable masks at home using fabrics on hand. Officials have also heightened control and surveillance measures at points of entry. On March 9, Cuba’s Public Health Minister José Angel Portal announced that the government would allocate resources to combat the country’s shortage of medicines and medical equipment in the case that the virus begins to spread locally.
Dominican Republic
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Government response
  • On April 2, the government extended the 5 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew announced on March 26 another 15 days, starting from April 3, and announced that all inland travel would be prohibited. The prior curfew, announced on March 20 by President Danilo Medina, decreed a nationwide curfew between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. until April 3. 
  • On March 20, Medina decreed a nationwide curfew between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. until April 3. Medical personnel, journalists, and people with medical emergencies are exempt from the curfew.
  • The announcement came after Medina declared a national state of emergency across the country on March 17, which went into effect on March 19. Under the state of emergency declaration, Medina announced that the country would close all of its borders for the next 25 days, canceled all incoming flights, and called for the suspension of most commercial activities and cultural activities. Grocery stores, gas stations, pharmacies, and markets will remain open.
  • Medina had already suspended all incoming flights from Europe, China, and Iran on March 16 through the end of the month.
Economic impact and measures
  • Minister of Labor Winston Santos announced that, starting April 7, all laborers whose work has been disrupted by the crisis will continue to be enrolled in the national Family Health Insurance program for the next 60 days, which cover the workers as well as their dependents.
  • On March 26 the Central Bank approved roughly $1.5 billion for banks to have available for clients, and $622.4 million in credit for export industries.
  • On March 25, Medina announced an economic package worth $591,200 to alleviate salary losses and food insecurity. The measures include a three-month moratorium on monthly minimum payments on credit cards as well as waivers of late fees. Starting on April 1 until May 31, the 811,000 families already subscribed to the country’s social welfare program Tarjeta de Solidaridad will receive a monthly payment ranging from $27 to $130 for foodstuffs and first aid products. The president added that 690,000 other families outside the social welfare program will also receive this assistance. 
  • On March 18, the country's Central Bank announced a stimulus package for homes, small businesses, and the tourism and export sectors.
Ecuador
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Government response
  • In Guayas province, with about two-thirds of the country's cases, overwhelmed health and security forces are having trouble keeping up with the collection of bodies, and citizens, worried about having possibly contagious bodies of the deceased in their homes, have started depositing them in the streets and public places. Police said they collected more than 300 bodies in Guayaquil from March 23–30, a period during which official figures registered 48 deaths from COVID-19 in the whole country. Medical experts project the province could see between 2,500 to 3,500 deaths in coming months. On April 2, President Lenín Moreno acknowledged that the official death count could be an underrepresentation of the actual coronavirus-related deaths across the country.
  • On March 16, Moreno said the country would enter a state of exception during which there would be a nightly curfew from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., as well as limits on the circulation of cars determined by license plate number. He also announced the suspension of transport between provinces and of domestic flights starting in the evening of March 17 initially for 14 days, later extended through the month of April. Schools are also closed through April. 
  • On the evening of March 15, Moreno announced a series of measures, including the suspension of citizens’ movements within the country except to buy food, medicine, and basic goods. Also banned are all non-essential commercial activities and social gatherings of more than 30 people. During the emergency, the administration is ordering that no one have their utilities cut off for lack of payment. The government is also providing increased internet and cell phone data service, as well as free coronavirus tests for anyone with symptoms.
  • Ecuador confirmed the first death from the virus on March 13. The woman who died, a 71-year-old woman who lived in Spain and traveled to Ecuador on February 14, was also the country’s first case.
  • On March 14, the vice president announced a series of strict measures: Foreigners would no longer be able to enter the country starting March 15, the prohibition of entry of Ecuadoran nationals and residents starting March 16, suspension of major events including religious ones, restrictions on activities involving more than 30 people, and land border crossings limited to six entry points.
  • Moreno declared a national health emergency on March 11, requiring that all who travel to Ecuador from countries that have confirmed cases be placed under home quarantine. On March 12, authorities announced the suspension of all classes in educational institutions starting March 13. In addition, meetings of more than 1,000 people have been prohibited, as is taking masks, soap, and hand sanitizer out of the country. The government also prohibited mass gatherings in Guayaquil and Babahoyo, the two places visited by the first confirmed carrier.
Economic impact and measures
  • The government closed its second-biggest oil refinery, La Libertad, on April 4 after over a quarter of its workers went into self-isolation after exposure to the virus. The refinery, which produces about 46,000 barrels per day and 15 percent of national demand, is located about a two hours’ drive from Guayaquil, the epicenter of the pandemic.
  • On March 27, Moreno announced a series of measures for the Galápagos Islands, among them extensions on tax payments for the tourism and agriculture industries, as well as small businesses.
  • Also on the same day, Moreno instituted a 12-month deferment with no surcharges aimed at farmers, small merchants, and artisans who can’t pay their water and electricity bills between April and June. 
  • On March 25, the government announced that the country will receive a total of $2 billion in emergency funds from three international agencies in the coming weeks: $500 million from the International Monetary Fund, $500 million from the World Bank, and $1 billion from bilateral debt, primarily from China. 
  • On March 25, S&P Global downgraded Ecuador’s long- and short-term credit ratings, with default a possibility in the coming months.
  • On March 17, Moreno announced steps to alleviate economic challenges battering the country. Under the new measures, social security payments will be postponed for 90 days while taxes will be deferred for the tourism and export sectors  for the months of April, May, and June, as well as for small businesses.
El Salvador
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Government response
  • El Salvador’s Supreme Court ordered the government on April 8 to facilitate the repatriation of over 4,500 Salvadorans who have not been able to return home since the country’s international airport closed down. The Court called for the process to be gradual but to prioritize Salvadorans who are in a “situation of greater vulnerability or urgent personal need,” and to ensure that all who are repatriated follow the necessary quarantine when they arrive.
  • Bukele announced April 6 that the country’s quarantine would be extended to May 6, as well as emphasizing that he had instructed the armed forces and policy to “get harsher with people in the street” who are not following the quarantine rules and could face 30 days of detention. A 30-day quarantine requiring people to stay in their homes was announced on March 22.
  • On April 6, ElSavador.com published an article and graphic tracking the 180 government measures taken during the month of March, covering everything from restrictions on movement to rules for the private sector.  
  • Bukele thanked Alibaba founder Jack Ma via Twitter on April 5 for a donation of 100,000 masks, more than 10,000 test kits, and five ventilators.
  • On March 30, unrest broke out in the capital after an online system to disburse $300 subsidies (see economic measures) repeatedly crashed over the weekend. The government opened offices for people to get the subsidies in person, then closed them after crowds lined up and created a hazardous contagion situation.
  • On March 29, legislators extended the state of exception, previously set to expire the same day, for another two weeks. Legal experts have warned that the extension runs the risk of allowing for an indefinite state of exception, and which restricts constitutional rights.
  • On March 24, Puerto Rican rapper René Perez, better known as Residente, interviewed Bukele live on Instagram about the president’s pandemic response. During the conversation, Bukele suggested medical students could skip completing their theses in order to start supporting medical efforts.
  • Bukele said on March 19 that the government is making plans to provide attention to as many as 12,800 infected people and is taking measures such as converting hotels to hospitals.
  • On March 18, the government announced it was suspending deportation flights from Mexico and the United States. However, El Salvador lifted the U.S. ban and received a flight of deportees on March 24, likely due to pressure from the U.S. government.
  • The president shut down the runway at the country’s main international airport just outside San Salvador on March 16, leading to a Twitter spat with Mexico’s foreign minister about an incoming flight Bukele alleged was carrying 12 people with confirmed cases.
  • Bukele placed the country under a national quarantine on March 11. The measure, set for for 21 days, closed schools and prohibited large gatherings. All foreign travel into the country was banned, except for residents and diplomats, and Salvadorans returning to El Salvador will be isolated for 30 days. In addition, the president declared a red alert on March 13 and the Legislative Assembly approved a state of emergency on March 14, when Bukele also closed bars and nightclubs for 14 days.
Economic impact and measures
  • Per an April 2 news story, economists at development foundation Fundase say the country could see remittances halved in 2020 compared to 2019 due to soaring unemployment faced by Salvadorans in other countries.
  • On March 21, in conjunction with imposing quarantine, the president announced a subsidy of roughly $300 per house for about 75 percent of Salvadoran households. He also threatened against corruption related to economic relief measures, saying 60 auditors would be reviewing disbursement and that “I will make a prisoner of anyone who touches even a cent.” In addition, he has frozen the prices of basic goods and warned against price gouging.
  • On March 18, Bukele announced a plan suspending utility, phone, and internet bills for three months to be paid back over the course of the subsequent two years. The president also froze payments on items such as mortgages, cars and motorcycles, and credit cards.
Guatemala
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Government response
  • Starting on April 13, Guatemalans will be required to wear face masks in public, and violators will be fined. Giammattei warned that the measure could be in place for months to come. 
  • On the night of April 6, Giammattei warned Guatemalans that “the worst is yet to come in the coming weeks.” The president revealed that the country had received 22,500 tests from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration, and announced plans to close off Patzún, a town of 60,000 people where a number of cases of local transmission have taken place.
  • On March 29, the government extended its curfew to April 12, previously set for March 22 to March 29 to run from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. each night. Then, on April 4, Giammattei unveiled measures for Semana Santa, including the prohibition of domestic, inter-state travel from April 5 to 12; a ban on the sale of alcohol from April 6 to 13; and vehicle circulation restricted to transportation, sanitation, gas, and food distribution.
  • The Health Ministry revealed on March 29 that a Guatemalan man deported from the United States on March 26 had tested positive for COVID-19. This happened again with a second deportee on April 3. The Guatemalan government, which previously banned U.S. deportation flights only to back down, said April 5 that it had asked Washington to decrease the number of deportees on each flight. On April 6, the Guatemalan Foreign Ministry said the deportation flights had been halted for Easter week. Two days later the Ministry said the flights will resume after Easter, and that the government is setting up temporary migrant reception centers to monitor the health of incoming deportees.
  • Starting March 17, the Guatemalan government closed all forms of borders and prohibited entry by foreigners, suspended work, prohibited events of any size, stopped public transport, ended visits to institutions for senior citizens, closed all shopping malls, prohibited drinking after 5 p.m., and suspended visits to prisons. Shops must close from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. except in the case of pharmacies and essential basic services. Guatemalans can reenter the country, while residents and members of the diplomatic corps must undergo quarantine when returning to the country.
  • On March 14, the Health Ministry announced the following measures: prohibiting religious events, suspending all school for three weeks, prohibiting gatherings of more than 100 people, suspending Easter celebrations, and holding sporting events with no public attendance.
  • On March 13, Giammattei announced that he would expand a previously instituted travel ban so that it would include the United States and Canada. The ban involved any country where transmission has occurred domestically rather than cases brought in from international travel. The Health Ministry said Guatemalan nationals would be allowed to enter from countries on the travel prohibition list, but would be required to quarantine themselves in their homes.His government had already imposed travel restrictions on people returning from China as early as January. On March 11, the Health Ministry also indefinitely banned incoming flights from China, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, South and North Korea, and Spain. Then, on March 15, the Health Ministry banned the entry of European foreign nationals to Guatemala.
Economic impact and measures
  • The president announced on March 29 that it will tap a $26 million emergency fund to help families in need during the epidemic, giving $129 to those who meet the requirements to cover costs for electricity, water, and supplies. This program, known as Bono Familia, was approved by the Guatemalan legislature on April 3. The legislature also approved a measure to help private-sector workers with up to $10-a-day stipend. In addition, no or low-interest loans for businesses while a separate fund will provide credit to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. 
  • On March 25, the Guatemalan Congress approved an emergency bill named the "Emergency Law to Protect Guatemalans from the impact of CORONAVIRUS COVID-19 pandemic" with a fund of roughly $480 million to cover elderly, health, employment, security, and economic programs during the emergency.
  • On March 9, the head of the Bank of Guatemala estimated between a 0.1 and 0.2 percent decrease in GDP for 2020 as a result of the coronavirus. On March 12, Congress approved the president’s proposed state of emergency bill with a fund of roughly $30 million for prevention and containment.
  • On March 20, the government said that it would increase its health budget to cover costs of medicine and equipment and suggested more funds could be made available depending on the impact of the pandemic in Guatemala. 
Honduras
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Government response
  • On April 8, the government extended the national curfew until April 29 after an initial extension through April 12 was announced on March 29. Authorities will continue to limit weekday transit based on the last digits of each individual’s identification card, passport, and/or driver's license, as they have done since March 31. Citizens must wear face masks, carry hand sanitizer, and practice social distancing when running errands. All must remain at home during the weekends.
  • Through an April 3 statement, Honduras’ National Risk Management System (SINAGER) called on local governments to identify plots of land that could be used for mass graves in case the number of deaths surpasses the country’s capacity to process corpses. SINAGER also announced that it was barring all wakes and in-hospital autopsies.
  • Starting on March 23, all markets across the country were ordered to close to the public. That night, President Juan Orlando Hernández launched Honduras Solidaria, a state-run program aimed at giving 800,000 families foodstuff and hygiene products every two weeks for the next 30 days.
  • On March 16, the government announced a national-level curfew starting at 10 p.m. that evening, as well as a state of exception that allows for the suspension of constitutional rights for seven days.
  • Hernández announced the closing of all borders as of 11:59 p.m. on March 15 with the exception of Honduran nationals and permanent residents. The country’s national risk management agency also announced the suspension of all commercial and work activities, any events regardless of number of people, and public transportation, and reminded people that failure to comply could result in criminal charges. That said, there are a host of exemptions, for everyone from public-sector and health service workers to drive-through restaurants.
  • On March 14, Honduras announced a two-week long national red alert that would restrict gatherings of more than 50 people and create specialized health units. On March 12, the country announced that all public and private schools would be closed for two weeks starting March 13.
  • On March 10, the government suspended deportation flights from Mexico.
Economic impact and measures
  • Honduras’ Central Bank (BCH) approved a package of monetary policies to free up $465.5 million. Among them, the bank’s president Wilfredo Cerrato announced the reduction of mandatory investments in the national currency from 3 percent to 0 percent along with a reduction in the BCH credit interest rate.
  • In an extraordinary session on April 2, the Honduran Congress approved a number of economic measures aimed at alleviating the country’s productive sector and supporting workers including the creation of a trust to guarantee loans for the agricultural sector and micro, small, and medium-sized businesses. The legislature also authorized the presidency to issue debt worth up to $2.5 billion.
  • On March 31, the IMF disbursed $143 million to Honduras to support healthcare and social welfare spending.
  • On March 30, the president announced that the government will delay income tax payments until June 30 for micro, small, and medium-size business employees, which account for 70 percent of the workforce in the country. On April 2, the government announced that it would also extend the sales tax payments deadline for these businesses until June 30.
  • On March 16, the government announced measures such as injecting funds into the construction sector, extending credit lines to ensure access to food, and financial support for small business owners.
Mexico
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Government response
  • On April 9, López-Gatell said that, while confirmed cases had neared 3,200, he estimates the true number of cases is more than eight times as much, or 26,500. This information comes following an interview with The Economist in which the undersecretary explained Mexico’s sentinel testing model used to uncover patterns in the virus’ spread. Mexico has conducted 159 tests per 1 million people compared to 5,900 in the United States, 2,900 in Chile, and 258 in Brazil, reports Bloomberg.
  • An April 6 El Financiero poll found that 52 percent of Mexicans say the López Obrador government is managing the pandemic poorly compared to 26 percent who say it is handling it well. Some 51 percent consider the pandemic the country’s primary challenge. Throughout March, he continued to spend weekends traveling through Mexico, sharing videos on social media in which he could be seen making physical contact with supporters. He subsequently changed his tone, releasing a video on March 27 encouraging people to stay home to flatten the curve. But he continued his travels over the March 28 weekend, which included a stop to meet—and shake hands—with the mother of U.S.-imprisoned drug cartel leader Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzman.
  • President Andrés Manuel López Obrador delivered an April 5 address in which it was expected he would potentially unveil a major response in the face of the pandemic. His remarks demonstrated a commitment to austerity and reviewed his existing social programs, plans to expand some of those programs, a reduction in salaries and bonuses for high-level officials, financial support for state oil firm Pemex, and a reaffirmation of infrastructure projects such as an oil refinery and an airport expansion. On April 6, during a virtual meeting attended by 4,000 people, members of Mexico’s private sector registered their disagreement with the president’s plan; unveiled their own proposals to protect micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises; and suggested López Obrador could be unseated from power in a vote on his mandate slated for 2022 that the president pushed through in November 2019.
  • Early in the morning of March 31, Mexico received 100,000 masks, 50,000 test kits, and five artificial respirators donated by the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation and facilitated by the Chinese government. In addition, the first of 20 shipments from China arrived on April 7 and Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebard said April 9 that the government had invested more than $56 million in medical purchases from China. López-Gatell disclosed early in April that Mexico had sold a portion of its masks to China in February at a lower cost than Mexico’s current purchases from China. 
  • On the evening of March 30, Ebrard declared a national health emergency. This came as López-Gatell announced a series of measures to be followed through April 30, including suspension of all non-essential activities, no gatherings of more than 50 people in the case of essential sectors, and strict self-quarantine for people over 60 and at-risk health populations. Schools will also remain closed through the end of April. Ebrard clarified that the emergency measure is not a state of exception involving armed authorities and that companies that avoided paying workers or defied rules could face sanctions. With close to 50 percent of the population living in poverty and a significant portion of Mexicans employed in the informal sector, concerns persist about whether people will self-quarantine. On the morning of March 31, López-Gatell shared a list of essential services, which range from tax collection to elderly care centers to supermarkets.
  • On March 30, Governor of Querétaro Francisco Domínguez became the third Mexican governor in as many days to confirm he had tested positive for COVID-19.
  • On March 24, the government declared that the country had entered phase two of the epidemic after the WHO a day earlier categorized it among countries with community transmission. The government said it would suspend all public and private gatherings of 100 people or more for the coming month. In addition, the finance ministry will provide roughly $180 million to the defense ministry and navy for measures such as expanding hospitalization capacity, coordinating with states and municipalities, and deploying thousands of health professionals to combat the virus. On the following day, López-Gatell said the federal government would stop all non-essential operations. 
  • On March 20, the U.S. and Mexican governments announced that they will restrict nonessential travel across their shared border starting on March 22, although commerce will continue. 
  • Also on March 20, the Health Secretariat revealed a new character, Susana Distancia, to illustrate how far apart people should stay from each other. Her name is a play on words: su sana distancia, or “your healthy distance.”
  • On March 14, the Health Secretariat announced that schools will be closed from March 20 through April 20. López-Gatell said that, from March 23 through April 19, the country would enter a period of "safe distance" in which people should work remotely and events of 5,000 people or more should be suspended.
Economic impact and measures
Nicaragua
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Government response
  • Director of the Pan American Health Organization Carissa Etienne expressed concern via an April 7 video press conference about Nicaragua’s handling of the pandemic, saying the organization considers it an “ineffective prevention.”
  • Ortega has not made a public appearance in more than 20 days, leaving his wife Murrillo in charge of handling the country’s response and fueling speculation as to his whereabouts.
  • On April 1, Ortega named Martha Verónica Reyes Àlvarez as the new Minister of Health, replacing Carolina Dávila Murillo. Dávila Murillo will now serve as an advising minister to the president in charge of overseeing health services in Managua.
  • On March 25, the country's armed forces closed down all unofficial entry points across Nicaragua’s southern border with Costa Rica, reports La Prensa. The move followed a March 21 meeting between Costa Rican and Nicaraguan officials in which the two countries agreed to collaborate in sharing health information but did not commit to closing their shared border. 
  • Before authorities confirmed the country’s first case, Ortega’s administration announced that it would ban wakes and funerals for those who die of the virus. 
  • As of the time of the confirmation from Murillo, the government had not implemented quarantines, school suspensions, or travel restrictions, nor did she indicate if or that it would. A number of local businesses, including bars and restaurants, decided to close down to protect their staff and clients. 
Panama
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Government response
  • President Laurentino Cortizo announced on April 8 that Panama will be under complete quarantine April 11 and 12, during which time everyone must remain home.
  • Authorities ordered the temporary closing of Mineria Panamá, the country’s largest copper mine, on April 6 after an employee died of coronavirus.
  • On March 30, Cortizo announced that the government would further limit movement within the country by designating Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays as days for women to circulate while men can go outside on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Everyone must remain at home on Sundays. Despite outcry from transgender Panamanians, Vice Minister of Public Security Ivor Pitti announced on April 4 that trans people should adhere to the sex listed on their national identity card.
  • On March 28, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) allowed the passage of two Florida-bound Holland America cruise ships “under extraordinary conditions and for humanitarian reasons,” after previously stating it would not allow the passage of one of the ships because of positive cases onboard. The decision came after the ACP announced on March 25 that ships attempting to cross through the Canal had to meet a number of safety requirements, including that all aboard each ship be healthy.
  • On March 24, Cortizo declared a national quarantine to begin at 5:01 a.m. on March 25. Citizens will be allowed to leave their homes to buy medicine or food on a schedule according to the last digit on a citizen’s national identity card or a foreigner’s passport.
  • On March 23, the government instituted a curfew starting March 24 that will run nightly from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m, expanding a previous curfew announced on March 19 that ran from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
  • On March 22, the government announced a system to be put in place when/if total quarantine is mandated, restricting people to leave their homes only to buy medicine or food on a schedule according to their national identification card or passport numbers, and people will only be able to be out of the house for up to two hours.
  • On March 19, the government announced that all incoming international flights will be suspended as of March 22 for 30 days.
  • On March 17, Panama held the first virtual Cabinet Council meeting in Central America, where the president and cabinet ministers discussed the government agenda following the Health Ministry’s recommendations to avoid group gatherings.
  • As of 11:59 p.m. March 16, only nationals and foreign residents will be allowed entry, with mandatory quarantine for 14 days. In a press conference, Security Minister Juan Pino announced that public spaces such as nightclubs, bars, and casinos will close, and that all shops barring supermarkets, pharmacies and medical centers will also close. The Health Ministry also announced the suspension of non-essential surgeries and hospital visits.
  • On March 14, flights from Asia were suspended. On March 13, the country suspended events of more than 50 people and had already prohibited flights arriving from Europe. On March 12, Cortizo announced a state of emergency, and presented to the government a national decree for necessary resources to mitigate the outbreak’s effects. The government had announced further preventive measures after the country's first death, including suspending private- and public-school classes in central and northern Panama until April 7.
Economic impact and measures
  • On March 25, Cortizo announced that banks are postponing mortgage and loan payments until December 31, and on March 24 he said that people who have lost their jobs will not pay utilities or face internet cuts for the next three months.
  • On March 23, Panama City’s Mayor José Luis Fábrega announced that each of the capital’s 23 community councils will get $25,000 in emergency funds.
  • Given that 6 percent of global trade passes through the Canal, financial analysts warn that Panama will feel the impact as the virus continues to affect trade.
Paraguay
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Government response
  • On April 8, President Mario Abdo Benitez announced the extension of national quarantine, including closed borders and airports, through April 19. The exceptions remain the transportation of goods and medical assistance, as well as Paraguayans only being able to leave their homes to buy food or medicine. 
  • On April 7, the attorney general’s office indicted opposition Congressman Edgar Ortiz for violating quarantine rules and attempting to travel from Asunción to Cambyretá, 400 kilometers away. On April 4, the government had indicted opposition Senator María Eugenia Bajac, who tested positive for COVID-19, for violating quarantine and attending a legislative session on April 1, causing Congress to be suspended through April 13. Bajac, who says she did not know she had the coronavirus when she joined the legislature, apologized via Twitter on April 4. Both legislators could lose their political immunity to face charges.
  • On April 2, the government announced a plan to boost agricultural production, including a credit line for agricultural producers of roughly $18 million at 8 percent interest, 50,000 kits to start new orchards, and support to boost the number of farms countrywide to 100,000.
  • On March 31, the government announced the closing of the capital Asunción for Easter week, during which time nobody will be able to enter or leave the city by car and there will be strict control of the circulation of people. 
  • On March 25, the government announced the Ã‘angareko program, involving money transfers for food and hygiene products to roughly 33,000 families whose income has been affected by quarantine.
  • On March 24, the aviation authority suspended all incoming flights—both commercial and private—into the country through April 12.
  • On March 17, the Health Ministry announced via Twitter a mandatory curfew between the hours 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. through March 24.
  • On March 16, the presidency declared a health emergency in the entire country under Decree 3456.
  • On March 10, the government announced it will suspend public events or large gatherings such as concerts, as well as classes in schools, for at least 15 days.
  • On March 9, Paraguay’s Clinics Hospital, a research facility within the National University of Asunción located in the capital, began preparing a special block within the hospital to deal with coronavirus cases.
Economic impact and measures
Peru
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Government response
  • On April 8, President Martín Vizcarra announced he was extending the national quarantine through April 26. 
  • On top of the nationwide quarantine, Vizcarra decreed a more restrictive “mandatory social immobilization” for April 9 and 10 to limit people’s movement as much as possible as the country braces for the apex of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the coming days and weeks.
  • On April 2, Vizcarra announced that Peru would institute a gender-based quarantine system in which women will be allowed outside on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays while Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays will be reserved for men to circulate. Everyone is to remain at home on Sundays. The divide, which will be in place until April 12, is similar to a measure announced in Panama.
  • On March 25, Vizcarra announced he was extending the state of emergency and nationwide quarantine an additional 13 days, through April 12. 
  • Peruvians overwhelmingly support Vizcarra’s handling of the crisis. An Ipsos poll released March 22 found that his approval rating jumped 35 points in one week to 87 percent. Some 96 percent approve of the curfew and 95 percent support the national quarantine. 
  • On March 21, Vizcarra said that some 8,000 people had been arrested for violating the curfew and restriction-of-movement measures.
  • Vizcarra said on March 19 that the government is in the process of purchasing 1.4 million coronavirus quick test kits.
  • Vizcarra announced a nationwide curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. and banned all private vehicles from the roads. Both measures go into effect on March 19. Additionally, some 3 million low-income households will receive payments of about $100, meant to cover two weeks’ worth of basic goods, that people can pick up on March 19.
  • On March 15, Vizcarra declared a state of national emergency, lasting 15 days, that puts strict controls on people’s movement within the country. The decree requires all of Peru’s borders closed as of 11:59 p.m. March 16, as well as prohibiting domestic travel between Peru’s 196 provinces. Peruvians are required to stay in their homes, unless they are going to buy food or pick up medicine. Workers in several critical sectors, however, such as health, finance, communication, and supermarkets, are allowed to commute.
  • On March 11, the government ordered that travelers coming from China, France, Italy, and Spain be quarantined at home for 14 days. The administration also announced that school classes are suspended until March 30.
Economic impact and measures
Puerto Rico
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Government response
  • Starting on April 9, the Health Department began including suspected coronavirus deaths in its official death count, in line with guidelines set forth by the CDC.
  • In an April 5 press conference, Vázquez announced that the island would be under a stricter lockdown during the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of Semana Santa. She ordered all businesses except takeout and delivery restaurants, but including supermarkets and banks to close down April 10-12, and residents to remain at home all weekend barring medical emergencies. Going forward, she ordered all businesses to bar the entry of all customers not wearing face masks. Vázquez announced the new measures hours after the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed its first coronavirus-related lawsuit to block part of the island’s curfew.
  • Members of Vázquez’s administration in the Emergency Management and Disaster Administration Bureau tried to buy $40 million worth of overpriced rapid coronavirus tests from companies that do not specialize in producing medical products but that had connections to the Vázquez’s New Progressive Party (PNP). One purchase totaling $38 million had to be canceled because the tests did not have Federal Drug Administration approval. 
  • Three weeks after the island confirmed its first case, Vázquez, with the guidance of her Executive Medical Advisory Committee, instituted a new surveillance system to begin tracking individuals who have contact with positive patients. The governor will now require all public and private health institutions across the island’s 78 municipalities to report to the Department of Health all positive, negative, and suspected cases along with information about each patient, including place of residence, symptoms, and travel history.
  • On March 26, Vázquez extended the curfew until April 12 and changed the daily start time to 7 p.m. instead of 9 p.m. as of March 31. The governor also announced that transit would be limited according to license plate numbers. No transit would be allowed on Sundays, except for emergencies.
  • On March 23, Vázquez ordered all travelers arriving in Puerto Rico, regardless of nationality, to undergo a 14-day quarantine. The announcement came after the U.S. Federal Aviation Agency limited all Puerto Rico-bound commercial flights to the San Juan international airport. The agency acted in response to the governor’s March 18 request to restrict flights to and the use of airports in Puerto Rico to stop tourists from going there and bringing more cases. In addition, the island’s legislature postponed the Democratic presidential primary scheduled to take place on March 29 to April 26.
  • In a televised address on March 15, Vázquez announced an islandwide curfew between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., and nonessential businesses to close until March 30. Supermarkets, pharmacies, medical equipment stores, gas stations and banks are among the essential services that are to remain open. Public schools have transitioned to online learning.
  • In a press conference, Vázquez announced the suspension of cruises entering ports. The governor had already declared an island-wide state of emergency on March 12.
Economic impact and measures
  • The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development assigned the U.S. territory $51 million in federal funds of which $33.6 million will be distributed to the island’s municipalities. 
  • On March 23, Vázquez announced a $787 million financial package to address the economic fallout the virus would have on the island. The package, which at the time of its announcement was the largest one presented by U.S. states and territories, includes a 90-day moratorium on a payments for mortgages, cars, and personal and commercial loans. The local government will also give $1,500 to businesses with 50 employees or fewer that have had to close and don’t qualify for federal aid. More than 170,000 self-employed workers are eligible to receive up to $500. 
Uruguay
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Government response
  • On April 8, President Luis Lacalle Pou announced that starting April 22 classes will resume in 973 schools across the country, marking the first schools to reopen since the national emergency declaration on March 13. On April 2, the government had announced that schools and university classes are suspended indefinitely, after an initial closure through April 13.
  • On April 2, Congress voted to delay the May 10 gubernatorial and legislative elections for the 19 provinces due to the pandemic, with a new date to be set by the Electoral Court, though political parties have proposed October 4. 
  • Also on April 2, the Supreme Court announced that a suspension on most court cases that was originally set to expire on April 3 will be extended for 30 more days. Only the most urgent cases are proceeding during this time, and offices are open for attention to the public for a limited number of hours per day.
  • On March 30, Interior Minister Jorge Larrañaga announced that police will be posted along national highways starting March 31 to ensure people are not traveling for nonessential purposes.
  • On March 28, the government announced measures to stop the rise of gender violence during social distancing, including an awareness campaign on social and mainstream media, a hotline for emergencies, and a protocol created alongside the Health Ministry for personnel to detect possible instances of domestic violence.
  • On March 27, the Social Development Ministry announced it will distribute food baskets to roughly 157,000 informal workers and those without social security in April and May.
  • On March 22, Uruguay and Brazil agreed to close their shared borders fo 30 days for all foreigners entering Brazil, and the measure is subject to extension. This came after a March 17, decision with Argentina to close that bilateral border.
  • On March 18, the government announced the closing of large commercial spaces such as shopping malls.
  • The government announced on March 15 the suspension of incoming flights from the United States on American Airlines starting March 18, and barring all flights from Europe.
Economic impact and measures
  • On April 4, the government—along with the Central Bank and telecommunications company Antel—announced the implementation of a food plan in which the most economically vulnerable can access a $27 spending bonus via a phone application.
  • On April 2, the government announced measures including a $154 subsidy to self-employed workers for two months and unemployment benefits worth 25 percent of monthly salaries will be extended through May 31. Also, the Central Bank and the National Internal Audit agency will flexibilize credit loan payments for those who cannot pay, and the Mortgage Bank of Uruguay will delay debt payment deadlines.
  • On April 1, the Senate approved the COVID-19 Solidarity Fund, made up of loans from domestic and international financial institutions, to cover government disbursements during the health emergency. On March 26, the government also declared the creation of a Coronavirus Fund, drawn from the salaries of  public workers who make over $1,800 monthly, and Lacalle Pou along with ministers and legislators will also give 20 percent from their own salaries. The contributions will be periodic for two months, and the measure is subject to extension.
  • On March 24, the government announced it would disburse funds to 55,000 workers over 65 years old in both the public and private sectors as a way to make sure they stay at home.
  • On March 19, the government announced the Social Development Ministry would receive $22 million to reinforce social programs, such as building refuge centers and extending salaries on the Social Uruguay Card, a government-funded resource for the most disadvantaged to access food and basic need products.
  • On March 19, the Uruguayan Central Bank it would provide credit lines to companies of around $50 million, while working with multilateral organizations to augment this sum to up to $125 million.
Venezuela
Spread
Government response
  • There is a steady stream of reports that the Maduro government is actively working to suppress sharing and reporting information on the spread of the virus in the country. In addition to jailing people like journalists and medical researchers for sharing information on the crisis—usually on charges of “treason” or “spreading hate” under a nefarious 2017 restrictive social media law—security forces have also started barring journalists from getting gasoline. 
  • The UN estimates Venezuela requires $61 million in financing to combat the pandemic domestically. On April 3, Guaidó announced that the United States will be donating $9 million to the cause via multilateral organizations in the country. A UN plane carrying 90 tons of health and sanitation aid supplies, including 28,000 personal protective equipment (PPE) kits, landed in Venezuela on April 7. It’s the first of a series of shipments, said the UN’s humanitarian coordinator in the country.
  • While concerns abound that Maduro will use the health crisis to increase state repression, Washington, in turn, upped its pressure on Maduro to step down by unveiling a Democratic Transition Framework for Venezuela on March 31. The plan’s goal is “to help Venezuelans escape the national crisis that falling oil prices and the coronavirus have now deepened,” wrote U.S. special envoy Elliott Abrams in a Wall Street Journal op-ed. Among other things, the plan calls for the National Assembly’s powers to be restored and new members be installed on the Supreme Court and National Electoral Council to pave the way for free and fair presidential elections to take place. Arguably the biggest carrot in the plan would be the dropping of all U.S. sanctions if the framework is adopted. 
  • Guaidó announced on March 30 the creation of a multi-partisan Council of State to serve as a transitional government that can manage both the health emergency and new elections. The council seeks to include chavistas in the process, excluding those facing drug-trafficking or corruption charges. This condition would bar Maduro as he’s newly under U.S. indictments on narco-terrorism charges. 
  • Maduro appears to have been an early victim of a new policy by Twitter to mitigate the spread false information about COVID-19. He complained in a March 23 national address that the platform deleted tweets he’d sent promoting a man’s claims to have concocted a plant-based cure for the virus.
  • Guaidó is working with the Inter-American Development Bank and PAHO to secure humanitarian aid and he’s made renewed calls to the country’s armed forces to let the aid enter. The military blocked a high-profile effort to bring aid into the country with lethal force in February 2019. Maduro, meanwhile, is appealing to China for aid. 
  • On March 19, Rodríguez announced the creation of an airlift campaign that will bring medical supplies from China, the first country to contain the virus, to Venezuela, one of the most poorly equipped countries in the world to handle it. Beijing is one of Maduro’s biggest supporters, and Caracas owes Beijing billions in oil payments.
  • On March 16, Maduro expanded a social quarantine, where businesses must close and residents remain in their homes, to the whole country, after initially implementing one in six states and the capital, Caracas. Exceptions will be granted for transportation, health, and food delivery services. Authorities also require facemasks for anyone entering public transportation.
  • The Guaidó administration distributed 3,500 safety kits to medical professionals. Of note, with close to three dozen of its members in exile due to political persecution, the Venezuelan National Assembly passed a measure in December 2019 that allows its members to vote when not physically present for a session. 
  • Rodríguez announced that schools would also be closed indefinitely starting March 16. The day before, President Nicolás Maduro announced that all flights from Europe and Colombia into Venezuela were suspended for a month. Local media reported there were at the time 300 test kits in the country of 30 million, and 30 percent of hospitals in Venezuela’s collapsed health system had none.
Economic impact and measures
Ernesto Aguilar, Daniela Cobos, Lee Evans, Pía Fuentealba, Diogo Ide, Luisa Leme, Maria de Lourdes Despradel, Ragnhild Melzi, and Adán Toledo have contributed to this content.

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