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Motion for a resolution - B9-0243/2021Motion for a resolution
B9-0243/2021

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the COVID 19 pandemic in Latin America

27.4.2021 - (2021/2645(RSP))

with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 144 of the Rules of Procedure

Anna Fotyga, Karol Karski, Elżbieta Rafalska, Ryszard Czarnecki, Hermann Tertsch, Ryszard Antoni Legutko, Angel Dzhambazki, Assita Kanko, Carlo Fidanza, Elżbieta Kruk, Evžen Tošenovský, Valdemar Tomaševski, Raffaele Fitto, Bogdan Rzońca, Joanna Kopcińska, Witold Jan Waszczykowski
on behalf of the ECR Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B9-0239/2021

Procedure : 2021/2645(RSP)
Document stages in plenary
Document selected :  
B9-0243/2021
Texts tabled :
B9-0243/2021
Votes :
Texts adopted :

B9‑0243/2021

European Parliament resolution on the COVID 19 pandemic in Latin America

(2021/2645(RSP))

The European Parliament,

  having regard to resolution of 13 November 2020 on the impact of COVID-19 measures on democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights,

  having regard to the Presentation of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet in Fiocruz, 15 April 2021,

  having regard to the EIB report "EIB Activity in 2020 – Latin America and the Caribbean",

  having regard to the reports published by PAHO,

  having regard to the OECD report “COVID-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean: An overview of government responses to the crisis”, November 2020,

  having regard to the Joint Communication of the he Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the countries of the European Union (EU) and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), 14/12/2020,

  having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

 

  having regard to Rule 144 of its Rules of Procedure,

 

 

  1. whereas the Covid-19 pandemic has hit Latin America with a delay vis-a-vis other regions; whereas response to the pandemic has been varied globally, also across Latin America, with measures aimed at gaining herd immunity to introducing total lockdowns ranging from implementing confinement/quarantine measures, to closures of schools and universities, banning public events and full closure of borders; whereas all countries have declared a general state of emergency;
  2. whereas a surge in the Covid-19 pandemic spreading across the Latin American continent has now resulted in over 25 million infection cases with around 897 thousand death cases; whereas in particular the variant “P.1” has been one of the key causes for high infection and death rates, as a direct result of a newly witnessed immune resistance to the variant, which causes an inflammation of vital organs;
  3. whereas vaccine roll-out distributed through the COVAX mechanism among 28 countries in the Americas has amounted to roughly 3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines distributed through the COVAX mechanism among 28 countries in the Americas; whereas 49 countries and territories in the Americas have introduced COVID-19 vaccines and administered more than 210 million doses;
  4. whereas due to global vaccine shortages and a lack of sufficient production sites, the region is currently experiencing a significant shortage of vaccines;
  5. whereas there have been reports of countries creating artificial obstacles to the regional vaccine roll-out efforts; whereas Venezuela has been hindering the arrival of vaccines and Cuba has been preventing the arrival of sanitary supplies;
  6. Whereas Brazil has in-country production of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, which the government says will eventually provide millions of jabs, but a lack of the active ingredients needed to make the vaccine means that initial production in Brazilian labs has been limited.
  7. whereas Chile is currently witnessing the highest infection rates, despite 24% of the target population having been vaccinated with two doses; whereas the total number of infections has exceeded one million and death totals have amounted to over 23,000; whereas Chile has closed its borders for all of the month of April 2021 as a result of high infection and death rates;
  8. whereas Brazil, with 332000 confirmed coronavirus deaths currently ranked second with regards to death tolls, whereas as a proportion of overall population Brazil remains behind Peru, Mexico but also some EU Members, but daily deaths are rising rapidly in Brazil with hospital intensive care beds in many states across the country full or close to capacity.; whereas the country has registered a total number of 14,122,795 coronavirus cases with 1,094,976 active cases; whereas the total number of deaths is 381,687 against 12,646,132 recovered; whereas the pandemic had reached a first peak in mid-August 2020 and had steadily receded through early November, witnessing an acute second wave bolstered by the variants; 
  9. whereas there is a distortion of reality when speaking in absolute figures, as countries with the highest population numbers will consequently have the worst statistics; whereas in fact the incidence rate, which paints a more realistic picture, in Brazil is much lower than that in many other countries of the region and even some EU countries;
  10. whereas the primary global media focus has shifted  to Brazil, whilst rates elsewhere have superseded those reported in Brazil; whereas the variant “P.1” detected first in Brazil, has spread rapidly across the country and Latin America; whereas the incidence rate of the virus. in Chile, Argentina and Venezuela is even higher than in Brazil;
  11. whereas Argentina is currently witnessing  a daily average of 23,945 new cases out of an over 2 million total, with a total death rate of over 60,000;
  12. whereas Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay also face a rapidly worsening situation, reporting records of daily infections; whereas Ecuador has declared a state of emergency  in several provinces;
  13. whereas Nicaragua has not implemented any particular measures against the virus; whereas the government has announced a vaccination campaign early March but is yet to provide any further information on actual existing implementation strategies; whereas the government has been widely accused of deliberately downplaying or concealing the seriousness of the pandemic; whereas although Brasilia’s, Mexico’s and El Salvador’s leadership have similarly been accused, Brazil has in fact been implementing measures to fight the Covid pandemic;
  14. whereas the worsening of the overall situation across the region is largely due to mismanagement of response measures, in particular to the new variants, which affect sectors of the population until now more preserved including young people and even babies; whereas the health systems worldwide, with only few exemptions, are under extreme pressure over the rapidly spreading virus and its even more lethal variants, with reports of dwindling oxygen supplies, lack of capacities for timely and more widespread testing, shortage of basic medicines and  ICU vacancies
  15. whereas an adding factor to already complex situation surrounding the pandemic is that of fake news and in particular digital media literacy; whereas in several countries of the Latin American region, there have been reports of severe repressions of fundamental rights by the government and other authorities;
  16. whereas government-led emergency measures that respect the rule of law, fundamental rights and democratic accountability are needed to combat the pandemic and should be the cornerstone of all efforts to control the spread of COVID-19;
  17. whereas the COVID-19 crisis has been and continues to be a stress test for democracies and the strength  of national safeguards for the rule of law and fundamental rights;
  18. whereas trust in the actions of governments and states is paramount to ensure support for and implementation of the emergency measures adopted; whereas in order to achieve this in a democracy, transparent, science-based and democratic decisions, as well as dialogue with and the involvement of the opposition, civil society and stakeholders, are fundamental;

 

  1. Deeply regrets the vast numbers of casualties caused by the Covid virus in Latin America and expresses its profound condolences to the victims families;
  2. Stresses that countries must focus  their efforts to improve and streamline implementation measures and vaccine roll-out programs, and exchanges of data and best practices;
  3. Reminds authorities of their duty of protecting their citizens and providing for basic medical care in this global fight against the virus;
  4. Reiterates its full support for regional cooperation mechanisms aimed at battling the Covid-19 pandemic, i.e. efforts by PAHO, CELAC, ECLAC, the OECS and SELA;
  5. Stresses that improving preparedness and response capacities, protection income and access to basic health care, assisting SME’s and the efficient management of widespread vaccination plans are crucial to effective management of the Covid pandemic and post pandemic recovery;
  6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Commission, the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Secretary-General of the Organization of American States, the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly and the Governments and Parliaments of al Latin American countries.

 

 

 

 

Last updated: 27 April 2021
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