With businesses and commercial activity all but shut down, there are fewer people outdoors, making the streets easier to police and less likely to be zones of criminal opportunity and conflict.
Tag: Latin America
Indigenous Groups Isolated by Coronavirus Face Another Threat: Hunger
Indigenous people across the Americas are trying to defend their communities from the pandemic. But for many, isolation can quickly turn into deprivation.
Brazil and Coronavirus: Defiant Bolsonaro Dismisses Threat
President Jair Bolsonaro, who has called the virus a “measly cold,” is the sole major world leader continuing to question the merits of lockdown measures to fight the pandemic.
‘I Can’t Stop’: In Vast Informal Economy, Pandemic Adds to Pressure
Many workers in Latin America labor without protections, surviving day to day, making them especially vulnerable to the coronavirus.
Bogotá’s Cacophony Is Hushed by Virus as Congested Streets Empty Out
In normal times, Colombia’s crowded capital reverberates with never-ending noise. But under quarantine, the city was overtaken by an extraordinary sound: silence.
As Protests in South America Surged, So Did Russian Trolls on Twitter, U.S. Finds
State Department analysts found that Russian-linked Twitter accounts sought to sow confusion in South American nations that oppose the Moscow-backed government in Venezuela.
Rural Venezuela Crumbles as President Shores Up the Capital and His Power
President Nicolás Maduro is channeling resources to Caracas while abandoning rural Venezuelans, who are often without electricity, police or currency.
‘The Pendulum Has Swung Back’: Latin America’s Corruption Fight Stalls
A drive against graft that started in Brazil left many hoping for a fairer, more equal region. That era is over.
Where the Police Wear Masks, and the Bodies Pile Up Fast
The police killed an average of 17 people every day in Brazil last year, and rogue officers are killing even more off duty. “I’m a hero to my people,” one militia leader said.
Bolivia Crisis Shows the Blurry Line Between Coup and Uprising
The Cold War binary of “bad” coups and “good” popular revolts no longer applies. But the labels persist, with important consequences.