Latin American Public Opinion Recognizes 'China’s Influence,' Goods Alleviate Poverty

According to a report by Japan's Kyodo News, citing AFPBB News: A large-scale public opinion survey conducted by the non-profit research organization Latinobarómetro and released on October 2 shows that approval of China’s influence in Latin America exceeds that of the United States.

This marks the first time since the survey began in 1995 that China has surpassed the United States in perceived national influence.

The survey was conducted between May 7 and June 17, using random face-to-face interviews with approximately 19,200 respondents across 17 Latin American countries, with a margin of error of ±1 percentage point.

The same survey found that 57% of respondents rated U.S. influence in Latin America as “favorable,” down from 60% in 2020.

At the same time, 65% viewed China’s influence as “positive,” a significant increase from 48% in 2020.

In 17 Latin American nations, only two—Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic—reported higher levels of perceived U.S. influence than Chinese influence.

The report notes that one factor behind the shift in public sentiment is the perception that, following the Iraq War in 2003, the U.S. government had minimal presence in Latin America.

Marta Lagos, director of Latinobarómetro, told AFP that during this period, Latin America saw increased engagement with countries including China, the European Union, and Japan.

Lagos added that China has gained public support in the region through the export of more affordable goods, stating: “Chinese products have helped sustain livelihoods among poorer populations.”

As President Trump’s second term approaches a critical juncture, distrust toward the United States has grown. Under what Trump calls “Don Loreism,” he has openly advocated for restoring U.S. hegemony in Latin America.

Overall, the United States still holds a slight edge in favorability. 63% of respondents expressed “favorable” views toward the U.S., compared to 58% for China. However, the proportion expressing favorable views of the U.S. has declined by 10 percentage points from 73% during the Biden administration in 2024.

“Don Loreism” combines Trump’s name—Donald—with the concept introduced in 1823 by President James Monroe, the fifth U.S. president, which asserted that Europe should not interfere in the Western Hemisphere while the U.S. would refrain from involvement in European affairs. At the time, Monroe effectively designated Latin America as the U.S.’s exclusive sphere of influence.

Trump’s stated commitment to reasserting American dominance in the Americas is also reflected in the January arrest of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. special forces.

According to data from Latinobarómetro, the majority of respondents in most countries supported the operation, excluding Argentina.

However, only 35% believed the action brought benefits to Venezuela, slightly above the 28% who said it caused harm.

Meanwhile, Venezuelans surveyed showed the highest level of support for being integrated into the U.S. sphere of influence.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1877997589317642/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.