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1 1 (February 18, 2022)

handle is hein.crs/govehkq0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Updated February 18,2022 Latin America and the Caribbean: U.S. Policy Overview The United States and neighboring Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) maintain strong linkagesbased on geographic proximity and diverse U.S. interests, including economic, political, and security concerns. The United States is a major trading partner and source of foreign investment for many of the 33 countries in LAC, with free- trade agreements enhancing economic linkages with 11 countries. The region is a large source of U.S. immigration, both authorized and irregular; major factors driving migration include proximity, economic and security conditions, natural dis asters, and familial ties. Curbing the flow of illicit drugs has been a long-standing component of relations, involving close cooperationwith Mexico, Colombia, Central America, and the Caribbean. U.S. Administrations havelongsupported democracy andhunm rights in the region, with a current focus on Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, as well as on democratic backsliding and corruption in other countries. Increasing Challenges in the Region Over the past several years, the quality of democracy has eroded in a number of countries in LAC, along with public s atis faction with how democracy is working. In addition to Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua-allruled by authoritarian governments repressing the political opposition-human rights groups have expres sed concerns about democratic b acksliding in s everal other countries. Many countries in LAC experienced social unrest in 2019, fueled by such politicalfactors as weakdemocratic institutions, politicized judicial systems, corruption scandals, and high levels of crime and violence and by sucheconomic factors as declining or stagnant growthrates and high levels of income inequality and poverty. Since 2020, the Coronavirus Disease2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had widespread public health, economic, and political effects in LAC. As of early February 2022, the region reported over 1.6 million deaths (almost 28% of deaths worldwide). The Pan American HealthOrganization reported that 63% ofthe region's population was fully vaccinated as of early February 2022 but noted that more than one in four people across the Americas had yet to receive a single dose. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reported a 6.9% regional economic decline in 2020; as a result, poverty and inequality have increased. Most LAC countries have begun to recover economically, with the IMF estimating a regional growth rate of 6.8% in 2021 and projecting more modestgrowth of 2.4% in 2022. Nevertheless, many countries may struggle with protracted recoveries. The pandemic-relatedeconomic setback contributed to increased protests in LAC in 2020 and 2021. The region's economic decline, along with difficult security and political conditions, also has helped fuelmigration. The region faces numerous political challenges. In Venezuela, the ongoing political and humanitarian crisis under the government of Nicolas Maduro has resulted in an estimated 6 million migrants and is a challenge for the entire hemisphere. Haitiremains in turmoil after the assassinationofPresident JovenelMoisein July 2021, contending with uncertainty over the future of elections, a surge in gang violence, and the aftermath of a severe earthquake that struckin August. In Nicaragua, President DanielOrtega's government es calatedrepression by arresting opposition figures and banning major opposition parties fromp articip ating in the country's November 2021 elections, in which Ortega claimed victory. The Cuban government responded to widespread anti-government protests in July with mass arrests and detentions and suppressed subsequent plans for a nationwide march. Baden Administration Policy In its initial months, the Biden Adminis tration focused extensively on addressing the root causes of Central American migration. President Biden ended some of the Trump Administration's restrictive immigration policies, while contending with a large increase in the number of undocumented Central American and other migrants seeking to enter the United States. In July 2021, the Administration released two new strategies to address the underlying causes that push Central Americans to migrate and to manage migration in the region collaboratively. The Administration also has imposed targeted sanctions for corruption against dozens of current and former officials of the governments ofCentral America's Northern Triangle countries (ElSalvador, Guatemala, and Honduras). In addition, the Administrationhas fleshed out its broader approach toward the region. Its priorities include efforts to promote public health and economic recovery fromthe pandemic; to workwith partners to promote inclusive democracy throughout theregion; to provide support to address Haiti's humanitarian, security, and political challenges; and to engage more broadly with the region to address migration challenges. To advance these andother initiatives, the Administration's FY2022 budget requestfor foreign as sistance to LAC amounts to almost $2.1 billion, nearly 16% overestimated FY2021 appropriations. The requestincludes almost $861 million to Central America to address the rootcauses of irregular migration. The Administration also is providing significant pandemic- related assistance to theregion. As ofmid-February 2022, the United States had donated over 62million doses to 29 LAC countries. As of November 2021, the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development reportedproviding more than $614 million in aid to support thepandemic response. On Venezuela, the Biden Administration continues to pressure the Maduro government through sanctions and state its commitment to working multilaterally to press for a return to democracy. The Administration also continues to

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