China Viewed As More Positive Influence Than US In 17 Latin American Countries

China is viewed more positively than the United States as an influence in Latin America, according to the 2026 Latinobarometro survey covering 17 countries in the region. The survey found that 65 per cent of respondents considered China a positive influence, compared with 57 per cent for the United States. The result marks the first time since the annual survey began in 1995 that China has received a higher assessment than the US on this measure.

The survey indicated a significant change in perceptions of China compared with previous years. The share of respondents viewing China positively increased from 48 per cent in 2020 to 65 per cent in 2026. By contrast, the US figure declined from 60 per cent in 2020 to 57 per cent this year. Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic were the only countries surveyed where respondents viewed US influence more positively than Chinese influence.

Despite the difference in perceptions of influence, the United States remained more popular as a country than China. Sixty-three per cent of respondents said they had a favourable view of the US, compared with 58 per cent for China. However, the US figure was lower than the 73 per cent recorded in 2024, when Joe Biden was president. The findings indicate a decline in favourable views of the United States over the period covered by the survey.

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The survey comes amid changes in Washington’s approach to Latin America under US President Donald Trump. The report referred to Trump's use of the term “Donroe Doctrine”, combining his name with the Monroe Doctrine, which historically asserted a US role in the Western Hemisphere. The survey also examined public reactions to US actions involving Venezuela, finding that a majority of respondents in all but Argentina approved of the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by US special forces.

At the same time, views on the consequences of that action were more divided. Thirty-five per cent of respondents said Maduro’s capture benefited Venezuela, while 28 per cent said it harmed the country. Venezuelan respondents were among those who viewed US influence most positively, despite the broader regional findings. The survey therefore showed differences between perceptions of US influence, overall favourability toward the country and views of specific US policies.

Latinobarometro, a Chile-based non-profit organisation, conducts surveys on issues including democracy, the economy, security and migration. The 2026 survey was based on approximately 19,200 face-to-face interviews conducted across 17 Latin American countries between May 7 and June 17. The survey reported a margin of error of one percentage point, providing the basis for its assessment of changing regional attitudes toward the United States and China.

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