Latin America sees China as more positive global influence than US: Poll

What the report says

A new Latinobarometro survey covered by Al Jazeera says people in Latin America now view China as a more positive global influence than the United States, marking the first time this has happened since the poll began in 1995. The annual study, based on about 19,200 face-to-face interviews in 17 countries between May 7 and June 17, found that 65% of respondents saw China’s influence positively, compared with 57% for the US.

The results suggest a broader shift in regional attitudes over the past few years. Al Jazeera reported that positive views of China have climbed from 48% in 2020, while the share of respondents with a positive view of the US has fallen from 60% over the same period. Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic were the only surveyed countries where the US was seen more positively than China.

Even so, the US remained better liked overall. The survey said 63% of respondents had a favorable opinion of the US, versus 58% for China. Al Jazeera noted that the findings come during Donald Trump’s second term, as Washington has sought to expand its influence in Latin America through stronger security and military actions, including strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats and the reported capture of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro. As a general matter, the poll underscores how regional views of the two powers can differ depending on whether people are asked about their global influence or their broader national image.