The number of people living in extreme poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean rose from 81 million to 86 million between 2020 and 2021, according to the United Nations.
In Latin America’s biggest city, São Paulo, the homeless population has grown 30% since the pandemic.
Official figures say 35,000 people are sleeping on the streets. But the real number is thought to be much higher.
A cold snap this week has pushed the authorities to do more about the issue, as our South America correspondent Katy Watson reports.
Producer Jessica Cruz
Filmed by Lucas Dumphreys
Edited by Colm O’Molloy