Celina Realuyo discusses the impact of COVID-19 on the economy, security and transnational organized crime in the Americas Latin.
America and the Caribbean have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic that will have a detrimental impact on the health, economy, budgets and security of the region. Prior to the pandemic, Latin America and the Caribbean were already facing slow growth, indebtedness, inequality, inadequate healthcare, corruption, transnational organized crime, migration crises and social protests. Governments will be hard pressed to provide and finance the services necessary for the medical and socio-economic recovery from the pandemic. Meanwhile, transnational criminal organizations will capitalize on governments’ preoccupation with COVID-19 to diversify and expand their activities that will likely result in more violence, instability and challenges to governance throughout the Americas. The U.S. must strive to remain the “partner of choice” in region by bolstering efforts to assist its neighbors in promoting health, prosperity and security in the Hemisphere during the pandemic and beyond.