The costs and benefits of duality: Colombia's decentralization and the response to the COVID-19 pandemic / Custos e benefícios da dualidade: a descentralização da Colômbia e a resposta à pandemia de COVID-19 / Los costos y efectos de la dualidad: descentralización en Colombia y la respuesta a la pandemia de COVID-19

Abstract Colombia's duality between the relative strength of the central government and the broad process of decentralization towards subnational and local governments has shaped the country's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Substantial tensions have arisen between the national and subnational governments in the handling of the crisis. Thus, blurred policy boundaries challenge multi-level government coordination. Yet, intergovernmental relations and multi-level governance have worked at some extent. Meanwhile, leadership styles, the level of political support, the local governance environment and the level of local institutional capacity have affected the strategies of local government leaders and their success to tackle the pandemic. Moreover, uneven healthcare capacity across the Colombian territory posits further challenges for a national response to the pandemic that ensures both effectiveness and equity.

Resumo A dualidade da Colômbia, entre a força relativa do governo central e o amplo processo de descentralização com fortalecimento de governos subnacionais e locais, estabeleceu os contornos da resposta do país à pandemia de COVID-19. Testemunhou-se uma substancial tensão entre os governos nacional e subnacionais no tratamento da crise. Os limites pouco claros das políticas desafiam a coordenação governamental em vários níveis. No entanto, as relações intergovernamentais e a governança em vários níveis funcionaram até certo ponto. Enquanto isso, os estilos de liderança, o nível de apoio político, o ambiente local de governança e o nível local de capacidade institucional, afetaram as estratégias das lideranças governamentais locais e seu sucesso no combate à pandemia. Além disso, as desigualdades na capacidade de prover serviços de saúde em todo o território colombiano apresentam desafios adicionais para uma resposta nacional à pandemia que garanta efetividade e equidade.

Resumen La dualidad del modelo unitario descentralizado de Colombia, entre la fuerza relativa del gobierno central y el amplio proceso de descentralización hacia los gobiernos subnacionales y locales ha influido en la respuesta del país frente a la pandemia de COVID-19. Algunas tensiones sustanciales han aparecido entre los gobiernos nacional y subnacionales en el manejo de la crisis. Un contexto con algunos límites jurisdiccionales borrosos impone un reto a la coordinación gubernamental multinivel. Sin embargo, las relaciones intergubernamentales y la gobernanza multinivel parecen haber funcionado en alguna medida. Por otro lado, los estilos de liderazgo, el nivel de apoyo político, el entorno local de gobernanza y el nivel local de capacidad institucional han afectado las estrategias de las autoridades locales y su éxito al enfrentar la pandemia. Más aun, las disparidades en la capacidad de protección en salud a lo largo del territorio colombiano plantean desafíos adicionales para una respuesta coordinada nacional a la pandemia que asegure tanto efectividad como equidad.

The Transaction Costs of Government Responses to the COVID-19 Emergency in Latin America.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a crisis that is challenging national and local governments to innovate in their responses to novel problems. Despite similarities to the challenges confronted in developed countries, for Latin American governments, these problems are amplified by structural obstacles such as social inequalities. These countries must respond with capacities and resources that are often limited by spoils systems and by social and political polarization. This essay provides an overview of some innovative practices in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico. In particular, this essay concentrates on some salient collaborative efforts in the region. To draw lessons from these practices, the authors focus on the formal and informal institutions that facilitate or obstruct collaboration across jurisdictions. The findings are discussed in terms of the transaction costs of collaboration identified in these experiences.