Introduction

This edition, No. 72 of the Economic Survey of Latin America and the Caribbean, analyses the effects and challenges of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic for the region during 2020 and the outlook that is taking shape for the years to come. This study is divided into three parts. Part I outlines the region’s economic performance in 2019, then analyses the first six months of 2020 and the outlook for the remainder of the year. The external and internal impacts of the responses to the pandemic are examined, as are their effects on the region’s economic performance, focusing on growth patterns, the global economy, fiscal and monetary matters, labour markets and prices. An analysis is also provided of macroeconomic policies and the challenges they must address in the context of a sharp contraction, a slow recovery and heightened economic uncertainty given the unpredictable nature of the pandemic.

Sustainable Development Goals:

Good Health and Well-Being

Decent Work and Economic Growth

Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure