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

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.