Backed into a corner

To be “backed into a corner” means to be forced into a difficult or unpleasant situation that one cannot easily resolve or escape. The inequality all boiled over in 2019, when protesters took to the streets to demand change. The center-right president at the time was “backed into a corner,” politically. The president at the time was in a difficult situation in 2019. The couple feels “backed into a corner” trying to pay the mortgage payment they cannot afford.