Chile jobless rate hits 11.2% during pandemic, new record in a decade

By Aislinn Laing

SANTIAGO (Reuters) – Chile’s unemployment rate hit 11.2% between March and May, the government said on Tuesday, laying bare the devastating impact of lockdown measures to reduce the spread of the new coronavirus on the South American nation’s economy.

People working in the commerce, accommodation, food services and construction sectors were the worst impacted, the national statistics agency (INE) said, while self-employed people were the worst hit across the board in Chile, once among Latin Americas most stable economies.

(Reporting by Aislinn Laing)