2021 in South America explained

The following lists events that happened during 2021 in South America.

Events

See also: COVID-19 pandemic in South America.

January and February

• January 8 – Twenty-three killed in La Vega massacre in Caracas, Venezuela.^[1]
• January 14 – The hospital system in Manaus, Amazonas,^[2] Brazil, is overwhelmed with 2,516 new infections and 254 hospitalisations. Hospitals report shortages of oxygen (O₂).
• January 17 – Antony Blinken, President-elect Joe Biden's United States Secretary of State, says that the U.S. will continue to recognize Juan Guaidó as legitimate president of Venezuela.^[3]
• January 21
  • The European Parliament calls on EU governments to recognize Juan Guaido as Venezuela's interim president.^[4]
  • Venezuela stops two Guyanese fishing boats in the disputed Essequibo territory.^[5] The crews were freed on February 3.^[6]
• January 23 – COVID-19 pandemic: Brazil begins vaccination with two million doses of Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine made in India.^[7]
• January 28 – The Lowy Institute, an independent think tank in Australia, rates the adequacy of 98 countries′ COVID-19 pandemic response. Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia are the lowest rated, at numbers 98, 97, and 96, respectively.^[8]
• January 29
  • Peru sends troops to its border with Ecuador to impede immigration, principally from Venezuela.^[9]
  • It was announced that the USCGC Stone would not make its scheduled stop in Argentina after visiting Guyana, Brasil, and Uruguay. The ship is on a mission to stop illegal fishing, valued at $151 billion in 2018, and coming mostly from China, South Korea, Indonesia, and Taiwan. Montevideo is the second-most important pirate port in the world.^[10]
• February 8 – Kristalina Georgieva of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicts that Latin American and Caribbean economic activity will not return to pre-pandemic levels of output until 2023 and GDP per capita will catch up only in 2025.^[11]
• February 19 – The Group of Seven (G-7) promises an equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, although few details have been provided.^[12]

March and April

• March 10 – Ecuador condemns Argentine President Alberto Fernández's statements about Lenín Moreno as interference in their affairs. When asked about his relationship with vice president Cristina Kirchner, Fernandez replied, "Yo no soy Lenín Moreno. Los que imaginaron eso no me conocen" ("I am not Lenín Moreno. Those who imagine otherwise do not know me").^[13]
• April 2
  • Verónika Mendoza, leftist candidate for president of Peru, calls Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro a dictator during a press conference with the Asociación de Prensa Extranjera en el Perú (APEP).^[14]
  • Planes from Bolivarian Military Aviation (National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela) are filmed flying over Colombian territory.^[15]

Programmed and scheduled events

Elections

• February 1 – 2021 President of the Federal Senate of Brazil election
• February 2 – 2021 President of the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil election
• February 7 – 2021 Ecuadorian general election^{[16] [17]}
• April 4
  • 2021 Chilean municipal elections
  • 2021 Chilean constitutional convention elections
• April 11 – 2021 Peruvian general election
• November 4 – 2021 Falkland Islands general election^[18]
• November 21 – 2021 Chilean general election
• TBA
  • November
    • 2020 Paraguayan municipal elections
  • 2021 Guyanese local elections

Major holidays

January to April

• January 1 – New Year's Day
• February 15–16 — Carnival
• February 23 – Republic Day, Public holidays in Guyana.^[19]
• February 25 – Day of Liberation and Innovation, Suriname.^[20]
• March 24 – Day of Remembrance for Truth and Justice, Public holidays in Argentina.^[21]
• March 29 – Phagwah, Guyana^{[19] [22]} and Suriname.^[23]
• April 19 – Landing of the 33 Patriots Day, Public holidays in Uruguay.^[24]
• April 21 – Tiradentes Day, Public holidays in Brazil.^[25]

May to August

• May 1 – Labour Day and International Workers' Day
• May 15 – Independence Day, Public holidays in Paraguay.^[26]
• May 24 – Battle of Pichincha Day, Public holidays in Ecuador.^[27]
• May 26 – Independence Day, Guyana.^[19]
• June 10 – Abolition Day, French Guiana.^[28]
• June 12 – Queen Elizabeth II's Birthday, Commonwealth of Nations.^[29]
• June 14 – Liberation Day (Falkland Islands).^[30]
• June 19 – José Gervasio Artigas Birthday, Public holidays in Uruguay.^[24]
• June 21 – Andean New Year, Public holidays in Bolivia,^[31] Chile, and Peru.
• June 24 – Battle of Carabobo Day and Feast of John the Baptist, Public holidays in Venezuela.^[32]
• June 29 – Feast of Saints Peter and Paul.^{[33] [34]}
• July 1 – Ketikoti, Emancipation Day in Suriname.^[35]
• July 5 – Independence Day (Venezuela).^[32]
• July 9 – Independence Day, Argentina.^[21]
• July 14 – Fête nationale celebrated in French Guiana.^[36]
• July 20 – Colombian Declaration of Independence.^[37]
• July 24 – Simón Bolívar′s Birthday.
• July 28–29 — Fiestas Patrias (Peru).^[38]
• August 2 – Emancipation Day, Guyana.^[19]
• August 6 – Independence Day, Bolivia,^[31]
• August 7 – Battle of Boyacá Day, Public holidays in Colombia.^[37]
• August 9 – Independence Day, Ecuador.^[27]
• August 25 – Independence Day, Uruguay.^[24]
• August 30 – Feast of St. Rose of Lima, patroness of Peru.^[38]

September to December

• September 7 – Independence Day (Brazil).^[25]
• September 18–19 — Fiestas Patrias (Chile).^[39]
• September 29 – Battle of Boquerón Day, Paraguay.^[26]
• October 8 – Independence of Guayaquil, Ecuador.^{[27] [40]}
• October 12 – Feast of Our Lady of Aparecida, patroness of Brazil.^[25]
• November 2 – Independence of Cuenca.Ecuador.^[27]
• November 15
  • Proclamation of the Republic (Brazil).^[25]
  • Independence of Cartagena, Colombia Day.^[41]
• November 25 – Independence Day, Suriname.^[42]
• December 25 – Christmas

Sports

• January 30 – 2020 Copa Libertadores Final.^[43]
• September 11–14 — 3X3 Basketball at the 2021 Junior Pan American Games in Cali, Colombia.^[44]

Deaths

January and February

• January 3 – Salvador Franco, Venezuelan Indigenous rights leader; died in prison.^[45]
• January 4 – Guillermo Rodríguez Melgarejo, 77, Argentine Bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of San Martín in Argentina (2003–2018).^[46]
• January 8 – Cástor Oswaldo Azuaje Pérez, 69, Bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Trujillo, Venezuela (since 2012); COVID-19.^[47]
• January 11 – Luis Adriano Piedrahita, 74, Colombian Roman Catholic bishop and theologian; COVID-19;^[48] (b. 1946)
• January 13 – Eusébio Scheid, 88, Brazilian Roman Catholic cardinal, Archbishop of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro (2001–2009); COVID-19.^[49]
• January 24 – Brazilians who died during the 2021 Tocantinense aviation disaster:^[50]
  • Marcus Molinari, 23, footballer (Tupi, Ipatinga, Tupynambás).
  • Lucas Meira, 32, football executive, president of Palmas Futebol e Regatas.
  • Guilherme Noé, 28, footballer (Batatais, Rio Preto, Ipatinga).
  • Lucas Praxedes, 23, footballer.
  • Ranule, 27, footballer (Atlético Itapemirim, Democrata, Resende).
• January 26 – Carlos Holmes Trujillo, 69, Colombian politician, Defense Minister; COVID-19.^[51]
• February 9 – José Maranhão, 87, Brazilian politician, Deputy (1983–1994), Senator (2003–2009, since 2015) and Governor of Paraíba (1995–2002, 2009–2011); COVID-19.^[52]
• February 14 – Carlos Menem, 90, Argentine politician (Justicialist Party), national senator (2005-2021), President of Argentina (1989-1999).^[53]
• February 16 – Gustavo Noboa, 83, President of Ecuador (2000–2003) and Vice President (1998–2000), Governor of Guayas Province (1983–1984); heart attack.^[54]

March and April

• March 3 – Sérgio Eduardo Castriani, 66, Brazilian archbishop of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manaus (2012–2019); sepsis.^[55]

November

• November 5 – Marília Mendonça, 26, Brazilian singer and Grammy winner (2019); air crash^[56]

See also

• 2020s
• 2020s in political history
• Mercosur
• Organization of American States
• Organization of Ibero-American States
• Caribbean Community
• Union of South American Nations

Notes and References

1. News: García Marco . Daniel . Qué se sabe de la operación policial en Caracas que terminó en una "masacre" . January 24, 2021 . BBC News Mundo . January 12, 2021 . es.
2. News: Peet . Charlotte . COVID: Second wave overwhelms medical system in Brazil's Manaus . January 24, 2021 . aljazeera.com . Al Jazeera English . January 22, 2021 . en . The government says that the situation is under control but it isn't … Hospitals are surviving on donations of oxygen and medical equipment. It's a war every day. Patients of all ages are in critical condition and we can't do anything..
3. News: Wilkins . Brett . 'Pure Sadism': Biden Blasted for Continuing Trump's Recognition of Guaidó Coup Regime and Deadly Sanctions in Venezuela . January 20, 2021 . Common Dreams . en.
4. News: Emmott . Robin . EU states should recognise Guaido as Venezuela's leader, EU lawmakers say . January 22, 2021 . news.yahoo.com . Reuters . January 21, 2021.
5. News: Claves de la disputa entre Venezuela y Guyana por el Esequibo . February 2, 2021 . infobae . Infobae . February 2, 2021 . es-ES.
6. News: Venezuela frees crew of two seized Guyana boats . February 5, 2021 . msn.com . AFP . February 4, 2021.
7. News: Brazil begins roll-out of 2 million COVID vaccines amid protests . January 24, 2021 . aljazeera.com . Al Jazeera English . January 23, 2021 . en.
8. News: México, el segundo peor país en ranking de 98 naciones en manejo de la pandemia . January 28, 2021 . proceso.com.mx . Proceso . January 28, 2021 . spanish.
9. News: Perú desplegó al Ejército en la frontera con Ecuador para tratar de controlar la inmigración de venezolanos por pasos ilegales . January 29, 2021 . infobae . Infobae . January 29, 2021 . es-ES.
10. News: El buque de la Guardia Costera de EEUU que patrulla el Atlántico Sur finalmente no hará escala en Argentina . January 30, 2021 . infobae . Infobae . January 29, 2021 . es-ES.
11. News: Campos . Rodrigo . Rough road ahead for Latam and Caribbean economies, says IMF . February 8, 2021 . msn.com . Reuters . February 8, 2021.
12. News: LAWLESS . JILL . G-7 vows 'equitable' world vaccine access, but details scant . February 19, 2021 . AP NEWS . 19 February 2021.
13. News: Ecuador llamó a consultas al embajador de Argentina tras las declaraciones de Alberto Fernández sobre Lenín Moreno . March 11, 2021 . infobae . Infobae . March 10, 2021 . es-ES.
14. News: La principal candidata de la izquierda a la presidencia de Perú afirmó que "en Venezuela hay una dictadura" . April 4, 2021 . infobae . Infobae . April 4, 2021 . es-ES.
15. News: El viernes, aviones de combate venezolanos habrían sobrevolado espacio aéreo colombiano. . April 4, 2021 . infobae . Infobae . April 4, 2021 . es-ES.
16. Web site: El CNE aclara que no se cambiará la fecha de votaciones presidenciales . Expreso . 15 December 2020. es. 3 January 2021.
17. Web site: Cuenca, Ecuador anti-mining vote in February 2021. Mining Journal . 7 December 2020 . 3 January 2021.
18. Web site: Executive Council paper 155/21 . fig.gov.fk . Falkland Islands Government . 29 August 2021.
19. Web site: National Holidays in Guyana in 2021 . Office Holidays . January 24, 2021 . en.
20. Web site: Day of Liberation and Innovation in Suriname in 2021 . Office Holidays . January 24, 2021 . en.
21. Web site: Truth and Justice Memorial Day in Argentina in 2021 . Office Holidays . January 24, 2021 . en.
22. Web site: Phagwah in Guyana in 2021 . Office Holidays . January 24, 2021 . en.
23. Web site: National Holidays in Suriname in 2021 . Office Holidays . January 24, 2021 . en.
24. Web site: National Holidays in Uruguay in 2021 . Office Holidays . January 24, 2021 . en.
25. Web site: National Holidays in Brazil in 2021 . Office Holidays . January 24, 2021 . en.
26. Web site: National Holidays in Paraguay in 2021 . Office Holidays . January 24, 2021 . en.
27. Web site: National Holidays in Ecuador in 2021 . Office Holidays . January 24, 2021 . en.
28. Web site: Abolition Day in French Guiana in 2021 . Office Holidays . January 24, 2021 . en.
29. Web site: Queen's Birthday 2021, 2022 and 2023 . PublicHolidays.com.au . January 24, 2021.
30. Web site: Liberation Day 2021, 2022 and 2023 in Falkland Islands . PublicHolidays.la . January 24, 2021.
31. Web site: Andean New Year in Bolivia in 2021 . Office Holidays . January 24, 2021 . en.
32. Web site: National Holidays in Venezuela in 2021 . Office Holidays . January 24, 2021 . en.
33. Web site: Saint Peter and Saint Paul in Peru in 2021 . Office Holidays . January 24, 2021 . en.
34. Web site: Simón Bolivar's Birthday in Venezuela in 2021 . Office Holidays . January 24, 2021 . en.
35. Web site: Emancipation Day in Suriname in 2021 . Office Holidays . January 24, 2021 . en.
36. Web site: National Holidays in French Guiana in 2021 . Office Holidays . January 24, 2021 . en.
37. Web site: National Holidays in Colombia in 2021 . Office Holidays . January 24, 2021 . en.
38. Web site: National Holidays in Peru in 2021 . Office Holidays . January 24, 2021 . en.
39. Web site: National Holidays in Chile in 2021 . Office Holidays . January 24, 2021 . en.
40. Web site: Independence of Guayaquil (in lieu) in Ecuador in 2021 . Office Holidays . January 24, 2021 . en.
41. Web site: Independence of Cartagena in Colombia in 2021 . Office Holidays . January 24, 2021 . en.
42. Web site: Independence Day in Suriname in 2021 . Office Holidays . January 24, 2021 . en.
43. News: El Maracaná (Río) y el Mario Kempes (Córdoba) sedes de las Finales Únicas de Libertadores y Sudamericana 2020 CONMEBOL . January 24, 2021 . conmebol.com . Conmebol . October 17, 2019.
44. News: Manual de Sistemas de Clasificacion . January 24, 2021 . Cali 2021.
45. News: Pons. Corina. Cohen. Luc. January 3, 2021. Indigenous Venezuelan man accused of raiding military post dies in jail -rights group. Reuters. Shumaker. Lisa. January 4, 2021.
46. https://www.religiondigital.org/america/Fallece-Mons-Rodriguez-Melgarejo-San-Martin_0_2301969807.html Fallece Rodríguez-Melgarejo, obispo emérito de la diócesis argentina de San Martín
47. https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2021/01/08/venezuelan-bishop-69-dies-of-covid-19/ Venezuelan Bishop, 69, dies of COVID-19
48. News: Luto en la iglesia: obispo de Santa Marta y sacerdote en Cartagena, las más recientes víctimas del Covid-19 . January 21, 2021 . infobae . Infobae . January 12, 2021 . es-ES.
49. https://www.swissinfo.ch/spa/coronavirus-brasil_muere-de-covid-el-cardenal-brasileño-y-obispo-emérito-de-río-oscar-scheid/46284524 Muere de covid el cardenal brasileño y obispo emérito de Río Oscar Scheid
50. https://www.foxsports.com.au/football/football-news-2021-palmas-football-club-plane-crash-lucas-meira-lucas-praxedes-guilherme-noe-ranule-marcus-molinari/news-story/79cd10be878b70e06fc1e98f61822b8a Football players, club president dead after Brazilian plane crash
51. News: Colombia's defense minister dies from COVID-19 at age 69 . January 26, 2021 . AP NEWS . 26 January 2021.
52. https://folhavitoria.com.br/politica/noticia/02/2021/morre-senador-jose-maranhao-aos-87-anos-vitima-de-covid-19 Morre senador José Maranhão aos 87 anos, vítima de covid-19
53. News: Romo. Rafael. Girón. Nacho . Correa. Hugo Manu. Carlos Menem, former President of Argentina, dies at 90. 8 February 2022. CNN. 14 February 2021.
54. https://www.elcomercio.com/actualidad/gustavo-noboa-bejerano-fallecimiento-expresidente.html Gustavo Noboa Bejarano, expresidente de Ecuador, falleció a los 83 años
55. https://d24am.com/amazonas/morre-arcebispo-emerito-de-manaus-dom-sergio-castriani/ Morre Arcebispo Emérito de Manaus Dom Sergio Castriani
56. Web site: Marília Mendonça morre aos 26 anos em queda de avião em Minas Gerais. 5 November 2021. G1.globo. 6 November 2021.