Ideology and pandemic: A study on the political conceptions of the leaders of Brazil and Mexico and their implications in the face of the health crisis of Covid-19 (2020-2022)

Abstract

In addition to social upheaval and economic slowdown in previous years, in the early months of 2020, Latin America faced another crisis, this time a health crisis: the pandemic of COVID-19. Initially, the measures taken by the region's countries were marked by protectionism and a lack of coordination at the regional level. Because of this, the scenario that followed during the years 2020 and 2021 was, in general, of high death tolls and intense economic crises. In this context, two countries stood out negatively in the conduct of the pandemic: Brazil and Mexico. In view of this, the question this paper aims to answer is: what is the role of ideology in the economic and political performances of Brazil and Mexico during the COVID-19 pandemic? The objective is to identify related elements among the two leaders that allow relating policies that contributed to the deepening of economic imbalances and sociopolitical instabilities. The qualitative approach is adopted. As for the procedures, it is characterized as documentary and bibliographical research. The bibliographical research seeks studies on the theme in known scientific bases, which will be evaluated, selected, and will obey the thematic organization. It was identified that, although they have different political origins and do not share the same ideology, the two leaders acted in similar ways by underestimating the effects of the pandemic, denying, or delaying strategies to contain the virus and neglecting demands of the poorest.