Brazil: The effects of COVID-19 and recovery

Abstract

This article analyses the effects of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on Brazil’s population and economy, including its high mortality rate per 100,000 inhabitants and its slow stabilization. A brief comparison is made with what is happening in a similar Latin American country, Argentina, where the results in terms of mortality per 100,000 inhabitants have been better, and in France, where the recovery has been more robust. The article also assesses the efficiency of expenditures and notes that the comparison is also not favourable for Brazil. Lastly, it addresses the problem of financing and argues that only Argentina resorted to treasury bond purchases by the central bank, the policy adopted in most rich countries that have their own currency and central bank (which France does not have).