Give President Obama credit for improving the U.S. image in Latin America. Approval of the U.S. went from 68% in 2000 to 74% last year, according to a Latinobarómetro poll released yesterday. The news is even better when you look closer. Younger people have a better opinion of the United States than the old guys. While 74% of the region’s overall population has a positive opinion of the United States, only 55% of respondents who were more than 60 of the over sixty set agreed.
Compared with other countries, the U.S. does well at 74%. Spain gets only 65%; the European Union 63%; China 58% and little Cuba 41%. Despite (maybe because of) all his yelping, only 34% of respondents in Latin America think Hugo Chavez’s Venezuela is playing a constructive role (only 25% of Brazilians think so) & even in Venezuela the U.S. gets a 64% positive rating.
John Matel's Memorial Blog