The World Bank projects the recession in Latin America and the Caribbean will be the worst downturn since reliable data began in 1901, setting back progress on fighting inequality and poverty, Bloomberg News reported. The development institution expects a gross domestic product contraction of more than 7% for 2020, making it worse than any crisis of the past century, including the Great Depression, the 1980s debt crisis and the global financial of 2008-2009, President David Malpass said.

Ratings agency S&P Global on Wednesday slashed seven Argentine foreign-currency bonds to default, triggered by non-payment of interest, as the government remains entangled in debt negotiations with its foreign creditors, Reuters reported. S&P said it downgraded to “D” from “CC” three foreign-law foreign-currency bonds that had about $582 million in interest due at the end of June. It also downgraded four Argentine-law, U.S. dollar-denominated bonds with $837 million interest due at the end of June.

Two major Argentine creditor groups said on Tuesday that there had been “no meaningful engagement” with the country’s government since mid-June, flagging concerns about a deal after talks to restructure $65 billion in debts stalled this month, Reuters reported. Argentina, which defaulted on foreign bond payments in May, is racing to restructure its debts, which have become unsustainable after two straight years of recession, to avoid a messy and protracted legal standoff with creditors.

Argentina’s economic activity plunged 26.4% in April, the country’s official statistics agency said on Monday, the worst monthly fall on record as the country reeled from the impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic and a nationwide lockdown, Reuters reported. The April drop, after the South American grains producer imposed the lockdown in mid-March, was worse than the 21% decline predicted by analysts polled by Reuters, underscoring how badly the pandemic has battered local industry.

Bankrupt LATAM Airlines and Avianca Holdings are dramatically retrenching their once grand ambitions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, reducing competition in Latin America as they mull once-unthinkable cooperation with rivals, Reuters reported. Since May, LATAM has exited Argentina, partnered with rival Azul SA in Brazil and cut back domestic operations in Chile, while Avianca has departed Peru. LATAM is now open to a deeper alliance with Azul, even as the two airlines usually control a combined 60% of Brazil’s domestic market.

Argentina is still working with its creditors to reach a debt restructuring deal after talks stalled, though there is still distance to cover in economic and legal terms, Economy Minister Martin Guzman said on Thursday, Reuters reported. Guzman said the government is in negotiations with two main creditor groups, though the “biggest differences” remain with the Ad Hoc Bondholder Group, which includes AllianceBernstein, BlackRock, Ashmore and others.

Argentina was facing a third year of recession in 2020 even before the coronavirus hit. Now with the pandemic’s economic shock, some analysts foresee a record contraction in the crisis-prone country, Bloomberg News reported. One of the most pessimistic estimates is from Marcos Buscaglia, co-founder of Buenos Aires-based consulting firm Alberdi Partners and former chief Latin America economist at Bank of America Corp, who sees activity shrinking 13%. Yet, forecasts for a near double-digit decline aren’t outliers.

The fiscal fallout of the coronavirus pandemic and low oil prices could affect Colombia for several years, Richard Francis, director of sovereign ratings at ratings agency Fitch, said on Tuesday, Reuters reported. Colombia’s government predicts the usually healthy economy will contract 5.5% this year. The country has suspended its fiscal deficit limits for 2020 and 2021 and issued billions in bonds as unemployment rises and businesses close during a months-long quarantine.

Argentina will release its first quarter GDP and unemployment figures today, amid the negative economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and uncertainty produced by debt restructuring negotiations, Foreign Brief reported. The COVID-19 crisis has ravaged Argentina’s already ailing economy. After a 1.1% year-on-year contraction in the fourth quarter of 2019 and declining economic activity during the first two months of 2020, the pandemic has deepened the country’s recession and exacerbated its troubled fiscal position.

Argentina extended a deadline for bondholders to accept a debt restructuring proposal for a fifth time as creditors blamed the government for “walking away” from talks, Bloomberg News reported. Bondholders now have until 5 p.m. New York time on July 24 to accept Argentina’s debt proposal, according to a government statement. It said officials plan to use the extension to keep talking with investors.