Amid the coronavirus pandemic and with Latin American governments struggling to address the public health crises in their respective countries, the competition for influence in the hemisphere between China and the United States takes a new form: coronavirus assistance. Based on research by the Wilson Center, here is how aid from both countries to the region compares.
Argentina:
(China) Test Kits: 53,500
(China) Surgical Masks: 603,520
(China) Ventilators: 20
(China) Digital Thermometers: 700
(China) Thermic Cameras: 3
(China) Protective Suits: 129,475
(China) Gloves: 32,500
(China) Goggles: 105,200
(China) Huawei’s Technology: YES
(China) N-95 masks: 73,000
(China) Money Donations: $3,700,000
(U.S.) Health Assistance: $300,000
(U.S.) Hydroxychloroquine: 2,000,000 doses
Belize:
(U.S.) Health Assistance: $300,000
Bolivia:
(China) Surgical Masks: 80,000
(China) Thermic Cameras: 3
(China) Infrared Thermometers: 500
(China) Protective Suits: 500
(China) Gloves: 2000
(China) Goggles: 2500
(China) N-95 masks: 1,000
(U.S.) Health Assistance: $900,000
Brazil:
(China) Test Kits: 29,600
(China) Surgical Masks: 1,865,000
(China) Ventilators: 201
(China) Protective Suits: 31,000
(China) Gloves: 202,000
(China) N-95 masks: 110,000
(China) Money Donations: $9,660,000
(U.S.} Ventilators: 1200
(U.S.) Health Assistance: $3,500,000
(U.S.) Hydroxychloroquine: 2,000,000 doses
Chile:
(China) Surgical Masks: 1,731,650
(China) Ventilators: 571
(China) Protective Suits: 16
(China) Gloves: 50,000
(U.S.) Health Assistance: $20,000
Colombia:
(China) Test Kits: 60,000
(China) Surgical Masks: 1,212,000
(China) Ventilators: Units Not Specified
(China) Infrared Thermometers: 500
(China) Gloves: Units Not Specified
(China) Goggles: 1,000
(China) N-95 masks: 10,000
(U.S.) Ventilators: 200
(U.S.) Health Assistance: $20,600,000
Costa Rica:
(China) Test Kits: 3,580
(China) Surgical Masks: 105,000
(China) Ventilators: 5
(China) CPAP Machines: 5
(U.S.) Surgical Masks: 20,700
(U.S) Gloves: 57,000
(U.S.) Goggles: 2,250
(U.S.) N-95 masks: 4,150
(U.S.) Health Assistance: $900,000
Cuba:
(China) Test Kits: 4,000
(China) Surgical Masks: 3,172,000
(China) Ventilators: Units Not Specified
(China) Infrared Thermometers: 500
(China) Protective Suits: 22,000
(China) Gloves: 102,000
(China) Goggles: 12,000
(China) Isolation Shoes: 2,000
(China) N-95 masks: 6,000
(China) Money Donations: $300,000
Dominican Republic:
(China) Test Kits: 15,000
(China) Surgical Masks: 120,000
(China) Ventilators: 54
(China) Huawei’s Technology: YES
(U.S.) Health Assistance: $3,700,000
(U.S.) Test Kits: 2,000
Ecuador:
(China) Test Kits: 22,000
(China) Surgical Masks: 359,800
(China) Ventilators: 23
(China) Infrared Thermometers: 640
(China) Protective Suits: 28,005
(China) Gloves: 1,209,200
(China) Goggles: 17,074
(China) Huawei’s Technology: YES
(China) N-95 masks: 86,400
(China) Money Donations: $340,000,000
(U.S.) Ventilators: 455
(U.S.) Surgical Masks: 202,210
(U.S) Gloves: 3,000
(U.S.) Goggles: Units Not Specified
(U.S.) Protective Suits: 450
(U.S.) N-95 masks: 604
(U.S.) Health Assistance: 13,700,000
(U.S.) Isolating Shoes: 250
{U.S.) Remdesivir: 1900 doses
El Salvador:
(China) Test Kits: 10,080
(China) Surgical Masks: 120,000
(China) Ventilators: 5
(China) Digital Thermometers: 300
(China) Protective Suits: 2,000
(China) Huawei’s Technology: YES
(China) N-95 masks: 10,000
(China) Money Donations: $250,000
(U.S.) Ventilators: 250
(U.S.) Health Assistance: $4,600,000
Guatemala:
(U.S.) Surgical Masks: 600
(U.S.) Health Assistance: $2,400,000
Guyana:
(U.S.) Health Assistance: $350,000
Haiti:
(U.S.) Health Assistance: $13,200,000
Honduras:
(U.S.) Ventilators: 210
(U.S.) Health Assistance: $2,400,000
(U.S.) Test Kits: 8,000
Mexico:
(China) Test Kits: 50,000
(China) Surgical Masks: 3,890,500
(China) Ventilators: 85
(China) Infrared Thermometers: 20,000
(China) Protective Suits: 20,000
(China) Goggles: 10,000
(China) Huawei’s Technology: YES
(China) N-95 masks: 300
(U.S.) Ventilators: 1,000
(U.S.) N-95 masks: 1,000
(U.S.) Health Assistance: $3,000,000
Nicaragua:
(U.S.) Health Assistance: $750,000
Panama:
(China) Surgical Masks: 207,500
(China) Ventilators: 20
(China) Digital Thermometers: 200
(China) Thermic Cameras: 1
(China) Protective Suits: 100
(China) Gloves: 2,000
(China) Huawei’s Technology: YES
(China) N-95 masks: 1,500
(U.S.) Surgical Masks: 33,750
(U.S.) Health Assistance: $750,000
(U.S.) Infrared Thermometers: 25
Paraguay:
(U.S.) Ventilators: 250
(U.S.) Surgical Masks: 4,000
(U.S.) Goggles: 150
(U.S.) Protective Suits: 150
(U.S.) Health Assistance: $1,300,000
Peru:
(China) Test Kits: 60,000
(China) Surgical Masks: 976,000(+)
(China) Ventilators: 31
(China) Digital Thermometers: 100
(China) Thermic Cameras: 5
(China) Infrared Thermometers: 500
(China) Protective Suits: 2,000
(China) Gloves: 2,000
(China) Goggles: 2,000
(China) N-95 masks: 200,000 (+)
(U.S.) Ventilators: 250
(U.S.) Health Assistance: $2,500,000
Suriname:
Aid not recorded
Uruguay:
(China) Test Kits: 20,000
(China) Surgical Masks: 327,000
(China) Ventilators: 5
(China) Infrared Thermometers: 150
(China) Protective Suits: 2,010
(China) Goggles: 1,020
(China) N-95 masks: 1,000
(U.S.) Health Assistance: $500,000
Venezuela:
(China) Test Kits: 1,745,160
(China) Surgical Masks: 6,633,000
(China) Ventilators: 4
(China) Chloroquine: 30,000
(China) Infrared Thermometers: 70,000
(China) Medical Specialists: 8
(China) Protective Suits: 100,000
(China) Gloves: Units Not Specified
(U.S.) Health Assistance: $12,300,000
Things to note:
- The United States has allocated $2.2 million to help governments in Caribbean islands.
- China has given the Venezuelan government an undisclosed number of tomographs, defibrillators, antivirals, sedatives, and gloves.
- Many private Chinese companies have made donations in Latin America in addition to the assistance given by the Chinese government.
- The United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has issued guidelines for certain exemptions, exceptions, and authorizations for trade and humanitarian assistance to Cuba and Venezuela.
- Belize, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have received no aid from China due to their diplomatic ties to Taiwan.
Photo: Karolina Grabowska/Pexels