[custom_adv] Mehrdad Minavand (30 November 1975 – 27 January 2021) was an former professional footballer and coach. He played mostly as a left midfielder but was also deployed as a left winger or left-back. [custom_adv] Minavand was born in Tehran. He played for a few clubs, including Keshavarz F.C., Persepolis FC, Sturm Graz (Austria), SC Charleroi (Belgium) and Al-Shabab (United Arab Emirates) as well as Sepahan. He last played for Rah Ahan FC, but left the team after the 2005–06 season. [custom_adv] He played 21 matches in UEFA Champions League and he is all-time record holder among the Iranian footballers in this feature. [custom_adv] The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has severe health effects and serious implications for economic growth and social development. [custom_adv] It has arrived in Latin America and the Caribbean in a context of low growth —as analysed in the previous special reports on the subject— and, above all, of marked inequality and vulnerability, with growing poverty and extreme poverty, weakening of social cohesion and expressions of social discontent. [custom_adv] Quarantines and physical distancing measures, which are needed to stop the rapid spread of the coronavirus and save lives, are leading to job losses (11.6 million more unemployed in 2020, compared to 2019) and reducing personal and household labour income. [custom_adv] The loss of income is primarily affecting the broad strata of the population that are living in or vulnerable to poverty, and people working in activities that are more exposed to layoffs and pay cuts and, in general, those in precarious employment. [custom_adv] In view of the major persistent gaps that the pandemic has widened, ECLAC reiterates that it is time to implement universal, redistributive and solidarity-based policies with a rights-based approach, to ensure that no one is left behind. [custom_adv] he global pandemic has not only challenged our health and economy, but our democracies. As the world took emergency measures to address the crisis, concerns began to emerge that some countries might take advantage of the situation to roll back civil and human rights. [custom_adv] Coronavirus is also highlighting and aggravating structural inequalities – from inadequate health systems to social protection gaps, digital divides and unequal access to education; from environmental degradation to racial discrimination and violence against women – that are themselves threats to democracy. Yet, crisis can also be an opportunity to move ahead.