Three Latin American Nations Rank Among World’s Worst for Workers

Latin America · World

Key Facts

—The ranking: Argentina, Ecuador and Panama are among the world’s 10 worst countries for workers’ rights in 2026.

—The source: The figures come from the International Trade Union Confederation’s 2026 Global Rights Index, its 13th edition.

—The newcomers: Argentina and Panama joined the bottom tier after their ratings fell to the lowest category, 5.

—The deadliest region: The Americas saw trade unionists killed in Colombia, Guatemala and Peru.

—The exceptions: Mexico and Uruguay improved their ratings, bucking the regional trend.

A global labor watchdog says workers’ rights are deteriorating across every continent, and for the first time it places three Latin American countries in its worst-of-the-worst category.

RTAsk Rio TimesAsk about this story and the bigger picture — answered from 75,000+ Rio Times articles.Start asking →

Argentina, Ecuador and Panama rank among the world’s 10 worst countries for workers’ rights, according to the 2026 Global Rights Index published by the International Trade Union Confederation, the world’s largest labor organization. The three were grouped alongside Belarus, Egypt, Eswatini, Myanmar, Nigeria, Tunisia and Türkiye in the index’s lowest tier, a placement that underscores a sharp regional deterioration in the treatment of workers and unions.

Why three Latin American nations rank worst for workers

The index, now in its 13th edition and covering 151 countries, rates each on a scale from 1, for sporadic violations, to 5 and 5+, where workers effectively have no guaranteed rights. Argentina and Panama both fell into category 5 this year, joining Ecuador, which was already there.

The confederation described conditions for workers and trade unions under Argentina’s government as increasingly repressive and hostile, noting Argentina’s drop from category 3 to 5 in just two years, an unprecedented decline for the country. On Ecuador, it cited legislation passed in 2025 allowing surveillance without a judicial warrant and the interception of private communications.

In Panama, it said workers and unions lack guarantees for basic rights and face constant pressure from employers and authorities.

The deadliest region for organized labor

The report again labeled the Americas the deadliest region in the world for working people, with trade unionists killed for their activism in Colombia, Guatemala and Peru. Across the region, it found, nearly nine in 10 countries violated the right to strike and obstructed the registration of trade unions, while workers were arrested or detained in roughly half of the area’s economies.

Beyond the three at the bottom, Brazil, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Peru and Trinidad and Tobago were placed in category 4, denoting systematic violations, while the Bahamas, Bolivia, Chile, Jamaica, Mexico and Paraguay fell into category 3.

A global decline, with a few bright spots

The Latin American findings sit within a worldwide pattern the ITUC described as a systematic weakening of democracy through attacks on workers and collective bargaining. Globally, 72% of the 151 countries surveyed denied workers access to justice, the worst level the group has recorded, and the right to strike was violated in 87% of countries.

The Middle East and North Africa remained the lowest-rated region. Notably, the United States was added to a new watchlist this year.

Yet the regional picture was not uniformly bleak: Mexico improved its rating following reforms to its labor-justice system, and Uruguay also moved up, showing that the slide is not inevitable. For the rest of the region, the index is a pointed reminder that economic headlines about growth and investment can mask a harder reality for the people doing the work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Latin American countries are among the worst?

Argentina, Ecuador and Panama rank among the world’s 10 worst for workers’ rights in the ITUC’s 2026 Global Rights Index.

Why did Argentina fall so far?

The ITUC cited increasingly repressive conditions for workers and unions, with Argentina dropping from category 3 to the lowest tier, 5, in just two years.

What does the index measure?

Compliance with collective labor rights across 151 countries, rated 1 to 5+, based on freedom of association, collective bargaining and the right to strike.

Did any country in the region improve?

Yes. Mexico improved after labor-justice reforms, and Uruguay also moved up, against the broader regional decline.