Is U.S. Influence Dwindling in Latin America? Citizens’ Perspectives

Although the United States remains the most important external actor in Latin America in terms of investment, trade and foreign assistance, scholars and pundits have argued that the influence of the U.S. in the region has diminished in recent years. Using 2014 survey data from the Americas Barometer, this article examines to what extent Latin American citizens believe that the United States is still an influential country in the region. Furthermore, it explores how citizens of 18 Latin American countries perceive the influence of the United States on their own country and why some citizens see it in a positive light while others perceive it as negative. While Latin Americans consider the United States to be, by large, the most influential country in the region, they also believe that its influence will diminish in the next ten years. Marked differences are found in the perception of citizens from countries that belong to the ALBA group. Regression analysis shows that Latin Americans with lower education, lower income and those who live in rural areas are more likely to have a positive view of the United States’ influence on their country. Lower levels of attention to political news as well as a lower perception of political efficacy are also correlated with a more positive view of U.S. influence. Finally, Latin Americans who place themselves to the right of the political spectrum and those with higher levels of trust in domestic political institutions are also prone to have a better opinion about the type of influence that the U.S. exerts on their country.