The Economist Latin America March 6, 2021

Joe Biden promised that there would be enough covid-19 vaccine for every adult in America by the end of May. This came after the White House negotiated a deal by which Merck will help produce the one-shot dose developed by Johnson & Johnson. Facing criticism about the slow speed of its vaccination drive, the French government said people aged 65 to 74 would now be able to get the AstraZeneca shot. People over 75 still must have either the Pfizer or Moderna jab. Colombia became the first country in Latin America to receive vaccines through the COVAX distribution programme, backed by the World Health Organisation. The governor of Texas ordered the lifting of most restrictions relating to covid-19, saying his state was open for business “100%”. Health officials warned that this was too…

Politics In Hong Kong, 47 activists were charged with violating the territory’s national-security law. As a court began hearing defendants’ petitions to be released on bail, hundreds of supporters gathered outside. The activists’ alleged crimes relate to an informal primary ballot held last year by prodemocracy politicians in order to produce strong candidates for the Legislative Council. The government saw this as a plot to gain control of the council and block its work. China's Communist Party began a purge of agencies involved in maintaining law and order, including the police, secret police, courts and the prison system. The aim is to cleanse their ranks of corruption and disloyalty to China's leader, Xi Jinping. Security services killed dozens of people demonstrating against the recent military coup in Myanmar. The repression…

Politics In Hong Kong, 47 activists were charged with violating the territory’s national-security law. As a court began hearing defendants’ petitions to be released on bail, hundreds of supporters gathered outside. The activists’ alleged crimes relate to an informal primary ballot held last year by prodemocracy politicians in order to produce strong candidates for the Legislative Council. The government saw this as a plot to gain control of the council and block its work. China's Communist Party began a purge of agencies involved in maintaining law and order, including the police, secret police, courts and the prison system. The aim is to cleanse their ranks of corruption and disloyalty to China's leader, Xi Jinping. Security services killed dozens of people demonstrating against the recent military coup in Myanmar. The repression of the protests…

AFTER THE Depression and the second world war, voters and governments in rich countries recast the relationship between the state and its citizens. Now the pandemic has seen the old rules on social spending ripped up. More than three-quarters of Americans support President Joe Biden’s $1.9trn stimulus bill, which is due in the Senate and includes $1,400 cheques for most adults. And in the budget on March 3rd Britain extended a scheme to pay the wages of furloughed workers until September, even as public debt hit its highest level since 1945 (see leader). Such boldness brings dangers: governments could stretch the public finances to breaking-point, distort incentives and create sclerotic societies. But they also have a chance to create new social-welfare policies that are affordable and which help workers thrive…

Joe Biden promised that there would be enough covid-19 vaccine for every adult in America by the end of May. This came after the White House negotiated a deal by which Merck will help produce the one-shot dose developed by Johnson & Johnson. Facing criticism about the slow speed of its vaccination drive, the French government said people aged 65 to 74 would now be able to get the AstraZeneca shot. People over 75 still must have either the Pfizer or Moderna jab. Colombia became the first country in Latin America to receive vaccines through the COVAX distribution programme, backed by the World Health Organisation. The governor of Texas ordered the lifting of most restrictions relating to covid-19, saying his state was open for business “100%”. Health officials warned that…

BRITAIN HAD a particularly bad bout of covid-19 and took an especially large economic hit as a result. In response the government provided more fiscal stimulus than almost any other in the world, paying millions of people’s wages and bailing out businesses to the tune of 16% of GDP . As Britain slowly lifts its lockdown the conversation has turned to balancing the books, and ahead of the budget on March 3rd the Treasury briefed that fiscal austerity was in store. Yet Rishi Sunak, the chancellor of the exchequer, will wait to turn the screws. He delivered a surprisingly generous budget, and has postponed tax rises. Like a fiscal St Augustine, he wants continence—but not yet. The budget represents the synthesis of two opposing forces. On the one hand Mr Sunak…