Analysis of Corona in South America – Why Bolsonaro is not alone to blame for everything in Latin America many people live without any social protection. You can’t afford a quarantine simply.Opinion Christoph Gurk from Buenos Aires0 comment despite Corona: the President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro is taking a bath in the crowd. Photo: Joédson Alves/EPA

It is not long since looked at the people in Latin America with horror at the tragedy that swept over Europe. In the Old world, the Virus raged, thousands died, images of weeping Doctors in Bergamo and Madrid flickered in Buenos Aires and Medellin on the screens. In Latin America itself, the case numbers were at that time still small, and the borders open, the streets full. Long ago but the situation has changed: In Europe, the new normal returns slowly, in Latin America, but the case numbers explode.

more than half a Million infections were registered in the Region officially, the number of unreported cases is likely to be much higher, and the climax is still far away. Even now, the health systems in some countries are collapsed, there are no beds in the emergency rooms more, some coffins are in short supply. The dead must be buried in mass graves, aid organisations fear a catastrophe, and an ever more pressing is the question: How could it come to this?

375’000 Infected in Brazil

At first glance, the answer seems simple: politics is to blame. This is not necessarily wrong, but it is only part of the truth.

Three months ago, it is now, since the end of February was officially diagnosed the first Patient with Covid-19 in Latin America. It was a 61-year-old man from São Paulo. Meanwhile, the number of infections has increased in Brazil alone, at 375’000. Nevertheless, the government has imposed is still no country-wide quarantine, on the contrary, President Jair Bolsonaro rejected the suggestion.

It measures rails against Isolation, and in the midst of the pandemic, the Brazilian health sinks into the Ministry in Chaos: A Minister was fired, the other was myself, now Commissioner, has taken a man from the military of the line, with no medical training and only rudimentary experience in health policy.

the Dead must be buried in mass graves.

Many Brazilians are protesting now against the President. On the balcony or in front of the open window, you beat angry on pans and pots. Even conservative Newspapers are asking Bolsonaros cancellation and Opposition impeachment. He is gone, everything will be fine, so the hope is. But they are deceiving. Policy would be the only Problem, then the Situation would be, for example, in Peru, not as it is now.

Brazil’s Western neighbor had been imposed early in a strict and nationwide curfew. The case numbers would have to fall, but instead they exploded here, too. 124’000 infections, despite quarantine today, in Peru, the second highest value of the entire Region and the residents the equivalent of more than twice as many Infected as in Brazil.

Despite a strict quarantine: in Peru, the case numbers explode. Photograph: Sebastian Castaneda/Reuters

And Peru is by far not an isolated case: As also the governments of Ecuador, Chile, Colombia, Argentina, or Bolivia negotiated relatively quickly and decisively. People should stay at home – however, the Problem is not, did this a lot. Not because they didn’t want to, but because they could not. Because they work as hawkers or on the roadside BBQ meat for sale. Because you brush black on the construction toil or apartments. You have no employment contract, no security, no continued payment of wages.

Informal experts call these Jobs without hedging and contracts. In many countries of Latin America, they are not only common, but even the rule. Even before Corona was a Problem, along with the Virus is a literally lethal mix was created but now. Because the people from the informal sector are not able to afford a quarantine easy. Without work, no money, no money, no food.

The choice between Corona and Hunger

That Peru is so hard hit by the Virus, and is therefore only logical, after all, a lot of people without a work contract: work, according to United Nations Figures, nearly 70 per cent. In Ecuador, the Figures are similarly high, as well as in Mexico, Colombia, Argentina or in Brazil. Almost half of the working population has only informal employment. 600 Real emergency has the government promised the equivalent of 100 francs, for life, to little, to Die to much. Something similar happens in other countries in the Region.

to have it Clear, it is not that the President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro says to the people, they needed not be afraid of the Virus helps. But it is certain that the people would one way or the other to go back to work. What are you left with? In the end, you must decide whether you want to maybe die from the Virus – or quite sure of Hunger. And as long as this question is not solved, all efforts in the fight against the Virus in Latin America for nothing.

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