COVID-19 and Indigenous Communities in Latin America: A Comparative Analysis of State Public Policy Strategies in Mexico, Bolivia, and Colombia

Abstract

The arrival and ongoing consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020 and 2021 have exacerbated issues related to processes such as globalization, transnational migration, and socioeconomic, educational, and territorial marginalization experienced by indigenous communities throughout Latin America. This article examines the ways in which the State has managed the pandemic in indigenous communities by analyzing individual case studies selected from three countries in the region (Mexico, Bolivia, and Colombia) where 2% or more of the general population have been categorized as "indigenous." The article explores the relationship between the State and native communities in order to understand the current sociopolitical dynamics throughout the region and to examine whether general patterns emerge regarding the State's ongoing responses to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. Keywords| Bolivia; Colombia; COVID-19; indigenous groups; Mexico; State policy Un análisis comparativo de las políticas públicas frente a la COVID-19 en las comunidades indígenas de México, Bolivia y ColombiaResumen | Durante 2020 y 2021, la pandemia de la COVID-19 exacerbó situaciones sociales que ya estaban presentes entre las comunidades indígenas de América Latina, relacionadas con procesos como la globalización, la migración transnacional y la marginación socioeconómica y educativa. Este artículo examina la manera como los distintos Estados han manejado la pandemia en estas comunidades, a través del análisis de tres casos de la región (México, Bolivia y Colombia), donde al menos el 2% de la población se identifica como "indígena". El artículo explora la relación entre las políticas públicas implementadas en dichos grupos con el objetivo de entender las dinámicas sociopolíticas actuales de la región, así como la posible existencia de estrategias comunes entre los distintos Estados en la respuesta al coronavirus.

Innovate or Perish: Food Policy Design in an Indigenous Context in a Post-Pandemic and Climate Adaptation Era

“…Territorial inequalities reflect the limitations suffered by indigenous populations in the exercise of their rights. Modernity in the region and the growth of the agricultural frontier have led to displacement, but international pressure has halted these processes [74]. A decade ago, more than 50% of the indigenous population of Brazil and Colombia experienced forced migration processes, and these peoples had an important interrelationship with urban areas [70].…”

“…In the area of social policy, 29 Latin American countries have adopted 285 social protection measures to help households suffering from the greatest poverty, vulnerability, and insecurity. The most frequent measures have been cash transfers and the provision of food (41.8% and 19.3% of the total, respectively), but it is not possible to know what the impact of these measures has been on indigenous peoples due to the lack of available information [74]. Despite the evidence of the vulnerability of indigenous peoples to the pandemic, and the widespread recognition in the countries of the region of their individual and collective rights, including the rights to health and life, the reality is that, to date, state responses have been insufficient [75].…”

“…Indigenous peoples have taken important steps to resist the pandemic. In general, these initiatives involve generating data on infections and deaths in their communities; conducting information and awareness campaigns on virus prevention; adopting containment and mitigation measures information and awareness campaigns on virus prevention; adopting containment and mitigation measures, such as cordon sanitaires, prohibition of access to communities, surveillance, community supervision, establishment of circulation and isolation protocols, use and promotion of traditional medicine, and adoption of measures to ensure food security [74]. According to Lugo-Morin [15], in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, indigenous peoples in Latin America have deployed strategies for food security and health, including the management of their food systems and the revaluation of wild plants for medicinal use.…”

Inequalities and Social Resilience in Times of COVID-19

“…Preliminary studies have found that municipalities in Latin America with a higher proportion of indigenous people presented higher infection and death rates resulting from COVID-19 (Flores-Ramírez et al 2021; Millalen et al 2020). For example, Rieger (2021) shows in her article for this special issue that the impact of COVID-19 on indigenous communities is likely underestimated given the inaccuracy of official epidemiological reports from native communities. This vulnerability is at least in part the result of these communities' limited access to healthcare services, their exposure to environmental vulnerabilities, and a general state neglect.…”

Las herramientas de política pública para el control de la pandemia. Una reflexión desde los sistemas normativos indígenas en Oaxaca

“…A pesar de la novedad del tema abordado, ya hay antecedentes de investigaciones que se han enfocado en la pandemia y municipios de tipología indígena en otras partes de México e incluso en otros países. Una de estas investigaciones es la de Bautista y Juárez (2021) quienes estudiaron el impacto de la pandemia en comunidades indígenas, tomando en cuenta la desigualdad que esta población ha padecido históricamente; otro trabajo es el de Meneses- Navarro et al (2021), el cual analizó la percepción de jóvenes indígenas de Chiapas respecto a los riesgos de la pandemia de covid-19; también, como antecedente, se tiene el estudio de Barabas (2020), quien estudió como los municipios indígenas hicieron una autogestión de la pandemia, por sus limitaciones y la desigualdad en la que han vivido; por su parte, Rieger (2021) analizó las políticas públicas que México, Bolivia y Colombia implementaron para hacer frente a la pandemia en las comunidades indígenas.…”