JUDY WOODRUFF: Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Costa Rica, meeting with leaders from
Central America.
One of the likely topics will be vaccine equity, as the COVID-19 crisis across Latin America
and the Caribbean worsens.
Today, in Peru, the government revised the official death toll, almost tripling it to
180,000, making it the worst death rate per capita in the world.
It's where producer Ali Rogin begins her report.
ALI ROGIN: In Lima, Peru, sprawling hillside cemeteries are reaching their limits, leaving
the family of COVID-19 victim Joel Bautista desperate.
KETTY BAUTISTA, Sister of COVID-19 Victim (through translator): We have decided to bury
him in the garden in front of my house, because there is no solution. What else can I do with
my dead brother in my house?
ALI ROGIN: The Bautistas found a burial plot at the last moment.
But across Latin America, families like them are dealing with a devastating second wave
of the COVID-19 pandemic. Argentina has been under strict lockdown since late May, when
cases skyrocketed. South America's largest soccer tournament, the Copa America, was supposed
to take place in Argentina.
But on Monday, officials moved it to Brazil, where cases also remain high. Some Brazilians
said the move was misguided.
AMAURI BARBOSA, Brazilian Citizen (through translator): The country is not yet ready
to host a Copa America because of the health issues. They have not taken care of those
of us here. Imagine those who come from other countries.
ALI ROGIN: In Colombia, intensive care units are stretched beyond their capacities. In
Ecuador, this hospital turned a cafeteria into a COVID ward, then added tents as the
numbers grew.
ALVARO GAIBOR, IESS Quito Sur Hospital (through translator): In recent weeks the hospital
is at 130 percent to 150 percent of its capacity.
ALI ROGIN: In May, Latin America and the Caribbean accounted for about 30 percent of COVID deaths
worldwide, despite being only 8 percent of the global population.
COVID variants are among the chief culprits. The P-1 strain, first detected in the Brazilian
Amazon, has spread throughout the region. In Peru, officials say it's caused 40 percent
of new cases.
VIOLETA BERMUDEZ, President, Peru Council of Ministers (through translator): We are
certain of the presence of the Brazilian variant, with cases in between eight and 10 regions
around the country where we have a significant frequency of it.
ALI ROGIN: Critics blame Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for what they say is a cavalier
attitude.
JAIR BOLSONARO, Brazilian President (through translator): To health professionals, we regret
the deaths from COVID and the other deaths in Brazil. But we must face the problem. Life
goes on. We are already talking about the third wave.
If the third wave comes we will also have the fourth, fifth, sixth, infinite waves.
Of course, we hope against it, but we must face it.
ALI ROGIN: Bolsonaro discouraged social distancing and face masks. He dismissed COVID-19 as a
little flu and encouraged the use of the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a cure.
In Brazil's largest cities, tens of thousands of protesters demonstrated over the weekend,
blaming Bolsonaro for the high death toll.
JOANA MARTINS, Protester (through translator): Impeachment now. Out with Bolsonaro. I can't
stand him anymore. There will be more deaths if he stays on.
ROBERTO MEDRONHO, Epidemiologist (through translator): The COVID pandemic is down to
a disastrous policy from the federal government, of an anti-scientific policy of denial that
goes against social distancing because of the claim it will profoundly affect the economy.
ALI ROGIN: A low vaccination rate is making matters worse. As of late May, only 3 percent
of people in Latin America and the Caribbean were fully vaccinated.
The United States has come under pressure to share its vaccine surplus with Latin America,
in part to counter China's conditional vaccine diplomacy. Honduras has struggled to get Chinese
vaccines because of its diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Neighboring El Salvador, an ally of
China, donated some of its stockpile.
FRANCISCO ALABI, Health Minister of El Salvador (through translator): The Salvadoran people
are with the Honduran people with this humanitarian donation going beyond borders.
ALI ROGIN: China is also sending vaccines to Uruguay. Seen as an initial success story,
the country's cases are surging. It secured enough vaccines for just over half its population.
President Luis Lacalle Pou said China's help signified strengthening ties.
LUIS LACALLE POU, President of Uruguay: We are ready to upgrade our bilateral cooperation
in the area of health. I would consider it very firmly.
ALI ROGIN: In some cases, even aggressive vaccine diplomacy is insufficient. So far,
Bolivia has only received about 5 percent of the five million doses it expected from
Russia.
JOSE RAFAEL VILAR, Bolivian Analyst (through translator): Since the vaccination of people
with kidney diseases and cancer began, the process has accelerated a little. But we see
this could go on until 2026 or even 2027.
ALI ROGIN: As the virus worsens all over the region, it's exposing deep fractures between
governments and citizens.
In Colombia, demonstrators defied second wave lockdowns starting in late April, responding
to a planned middle-class tax hike intended to help the pandemic-stricken economy. But
even after President Ivan Duque withdrew it, the marches grew, as did the demands. Now
protesters are calling for widespread government and police reform.
LUIS CARLOS GARCIA, Professor (through translator): Colombia has lost its fear, and we will keep
on until there is real change.
ALI ROGIN: Police are using increasingly brutal tactics. Since protests began, 63 people have
died and hundreds have been reported missing. Health officials worry that deaths will continue
to rise as protesters contract COVID-19.
MONICA ROJAS, ICU Nurse (through translator): We can't continue like this. We need to take
measures, so as to resolve the political issues of the country. But now it is a matter of
life and death.
ALI ROGIN: Across the region, the COVID crisis is also fueling an economic one. In Chile,
the government is allowing citizens to draw down their pensions for a third time, which
economists say is only forestalling a bigger disaster.
VICENTE ESPINOZA, Sociologist (through translator): It is the only available alternative. But
this is like selling your fridge to buy food. The reality is, you're making it worse.
ALI ROGIN: But the people of Latin America are also determined to make it better. In
Medellin, Colombia, a group of engineers and physicians responded to a ventilator shortage
by building their own model from scratch. Mechanical engineer Mauricio Toro spearheaded
the project.
MAURICIO TORO, CEO, Techfit Digital Surgery: One of the biggest challenges that we had
was, all the parts that were necessary for the ventilators were not available.
So, we ended up having to manufacture parts locally, to tweak existing parts that were
not 100 percent the part that we needed, but modifying them and making them fit to purpose.
ALI ROGIN: Three weeks later, the team had three working prototypes, which quickly made
their way into hospitals.
MAURICIO TORO: So, there was definitely a learning curve.
And the team, I would say none of us had ever made a ventilator. And every time we talk
to a doctor and they say, we used the ventilator and it worked as expected, just fills us with
pride, because we know it's one more life that we have saved.
ALI ROGIN: One more life saved and one fewer addition to a growing death toll in a region
in crisis.
For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Ali Rogin.