About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

1 1 (November 23, 2021)

handle is hein.crs/govehks0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Con gressionaI Research Ser/ce informing Ih egsaive( deate sne 1914 0 Updated November 23, 2021 Latin America and the Caribbean: U.S. Policy Overview The United States maintains strong linkages with neighboring Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) based 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 disasters, and familial ties. Curbing the flow of illicit drugs has been a long-standing component of relations, involving close cooperation with Mexico, Colombia, Central America, and the Caribbean. U.S. Administrations have long expressed support for democracy and human rights in the region, especially in Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, and have raised corruption and human rights concerns 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 satisfaction with how democracy is working. In addition to Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua-all ruled by authoritarian governments repressing the political opposition-human rights groups have expressed concerns about democratic backsliding in several other countries. Many countries in LAC experienced social unrest in 2019 fueled by such political factors as weak democratic institutions, politicized judicial systems, corruption scandals, and high levels of crime and violence and by such economic factors as declining or stagnant growth rates and high levels of income inequality and poverty. Since 2020, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had widespread public health, economic, and political effects in LAC. As of November 23, 2021, the region reported over 1.5 million deaths (almost 30% of deaths worldwide). The rollout of vaccines in LAC has varied considerably. According to the Pan American Health Organization, 50% of the region's population was fully vaccinated as of November 17, although coverage was significantly lower in almost half of LAC countries. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reports a regional economic decline of 7% in 2020, with almost every country in recession. As a result, poverty and inequality have increased throughout LAC. Most of the region's countries are projected to begin economic recovery in 2021, with the IMF projecting a regional growth rate of 6.3%, but many countries may struggle with protracted recoveries. The economic setback associated with the pandemic contributed to increased protests in LAC in 2020 and 2021. Regional economic decline, along with difficult security and political conditions, has helped fuel increased migration. LAC faces numerous political challenges. In Venezuela, the ongoing political and humanitarian crisis under the government of Nicolas Maduro has resulted in an estimated 5.7 million migrants and is a challenge for the entire hemisphere. Haiti remains in turmoil after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July, contending with uncertainty over the future of national elections, a surge in gang violence, and the aftermath of a severe earthquake that struck in August. In Nicaragua, President Daniel Ortega's government escalated repression by arresting opposition figures and banning major opposition parties from participating in the country's November 7 elections, in which Ortega claimed victory. The Cuban government responded to widespread anti-government protests on July 11 with mass arrests and detentions and suppressed plans for a nationwide peaceful civic march for change on November 15. Biden Administration Policy In the Biden Administration's initial months, much of its focus in LAC was on immigration and Central America. 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 collaboratively manage migration in the region. The Administration also imposed targeted sanctions against dozens of current and former officials of the governments of Central America's Northern Triangle countries (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras), for corruption or obstructing investigations into corruption. The Biden Administration's FY2022 budget request for foreign assistance to LAC amounts to almost $2.1 billion, nearly 16% over estimated FY2021 appropriations. The request includes almost $861 million to Central America to address the root causes of irregular migration. On the pandemic, the Administration committed to provide 1.2 billion COVID-19 vaccines globally, including to LAC. As of November 17, the United States had delivered almost 51 million vaccine doses to 29 LAC countries and the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development had provided more than $614 million to support the pandemic response in the region. The Biden Administration continues to pressure the Maduro government in Venezuela through sanctions and states it is committed to work multilaterally to press for a return to democracy. The Administration also continues to provide humanitarian support to Venezuelans inside and outside the country. In March 2021, the Secretary of Homeland Security granted temporary protected status (TPS) to Venezuelans in the United States.

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Contact us for annual subscription options:

Contact Us

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most