Risks Related to Latin American Countries in which we Operate
The economic effects in Latin America and around the world of the outbreak and economic shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is adversely affecting the economies in which we produce and those to where we sell our products, and the impact could be material.
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic is currently having an indeterminable adverse impact on the world economy. COVID-19 was reportedly first detected in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, and first reported to the World Health Organization (“WHO”) country office in China on December 31, 2019. On January 30, 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19 a public health emergency of international concern and on March 11, 2020 declared the outbreak a pandemic. COVID-19 has begun to have numerous worldwide effects on general commercial activity. Many of the main trading partners of Latin American countries, such as China, the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States, among others, have undertaken various public health measures to control the spread of COVID-19 including mandatory quarantines, forced economic shutdowns and travel restrictions, as well as economic measures to mitigate the impacts of such public health policies on their respective national economy. For instance, in Peru, where a significant part of our operations are located, during the initial months of the pandemic, our ability to transport workers to our production lands was limited to 50% due to sanitary protocols mandated by the government of Peru. This measure increased our transportation cost for around four months, until the Peruvian government raised the occupancy rate to 100%.
Peru, Colombia, Uruguay, Mexico and Chile all experienced severe economic downturns during 2020, mainly due to the economic and public health crisis caused by COVID-19 and related economic shutdown. During the first five months of 2021, Latin American countries have experienced an increase in COVID-19 infections and deaths. This in turn has caused increased social and political tensions and high levels of poverty and unemployment. Future government policies to preempt or respond to social unrest could include, among other things, expropriation, nationalization, suspension of the enforcement of creditors’ rights and new taxation policies. These policies could adversely and materially affect the economies of these countries and our business.
Economic and political developments in Latin American could affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The vast majority of our production operations are conducted in Peru, Colombia, Uruguay, Mexico and Chile and are dependent upon the performance of these economies. As a result, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be affected by the general conditions of these economies, price instability, inflation, interest rates, regulation, taxation, social instability, political unrest and other developments in or affecting Peru, Colombia, Uruguay, Mexico and Chile, over which we have no control. In the past, these countries have experienced periods of weak economic activity and deterioration in economic conditions. If such conditions return, they may have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
During the past several decades, Peru, Colombia and Mexico have experienced political instability that has included a succession of regimes with differing economic policies. In some instances, governments have imposed controls on prices, exchange rates, local and foreign investment and international trade, restricted the ability of companies to dismiss employees, expropriated private sector assets and prohibited the remittance of profits to foreign investors. We cannot assure you that these governments will continue to pursue open market economic policies that are designed to foster and stimulate economic growth and social stability.
During the past several decades Peru, Colombia and Mexico experienced severe terrorist activity targeted against, among others, the government and the private sector. Despite the suppression of terrorist activity, we cannot assure you that a resurgence of terrorism in these countries will not occur, or that if there is resurgence, it will not disrupt the economy and our business. In addition, Peru, Colombia, Mexico and Chile have, from time to time, experienced social and political turmoil, including riots, nationwide protests, strikes and street demonstrations. Despite these countries’ economic growth and stabilization prior to the economic crisis caused
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