Developing Story
Latin America's Shifting Views on China vs. US Influence
The annual Latinobarometro poll finds Latin Americans increasingly view China's global influence more positively than that of the United States, continuing a trend of eroding US soft power in the region. This has strategic implications for US-China competition in the Western Hemisphere.
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The annual Latinobarometro survey finds that Latin Americans increasingly see China as a more positive global influence than the United States, with perceptions of Chinese influence improving even as views of US influence worsen in the region (Al Jazeera, October 2).
### Background
Latinobarometro is a long-running annual regional opinion survey tracking political and economic attitudes across Latin America. This year's findings point to a continued erosion of US soft power in the region relative to China's rising standing (Al Jazeera, October 2).
### Why it matters
This trend has strategic implications for US foreign policy, trade relationships, and geopolitical competition with China in the Western Hemisphere — a region traditionally considered within the US sphere of influence. Continued erosion of US favorability could affect diplomatic leverage, investment flows, and alignment on issues from migration to trade.