The highest poverty rate in Latin America over the past 20 years was recorded last year, noted in the new report of Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).

In 2020, there were 78 million people living below the poverty line in Latin America as the coronavirus pandemic caused great damage to the global economy. The report notes that 12.5% ​​of Latin America's population lives in poverty. Earlier, a similar indicator was registered only in 1999, then it was 12.8%.

To stop the spread of the coronavirus, the governments of the countries in the region have taken quarantine measures. As a result, the activity of a number of sectors of the economy has decreased or was reduced to zero.