Archive · 3 Oct 2026
Latin American Poll Finds China’s Influence Outpaces US
A poll asked people in 17 Latin American countries what they thought about the influence of the United States and China.
More people said China’s influence was positive than said the same about US influence.
China’s rating was 65%, while the US rating was 57%.
The poll says China’s rating has gone up since 2020.
Still, more people said they liked the United States as a country than China as a country.
Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic were the only countries where US influence was rated more positively.
The survey director said closer ties with other world powers and cheaper imports helped explain China’s positive image.
The poll was conducted through in-person interviews with around 19,200 people.
A 2026 Latinobarómetro survey found 65% viewed China’s influence positively, compared with 57% for US influence.
China’s positive influence rating rose from 48% in 2020; the US rating fell from 60%.
Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic were the only surveyed countries where US influence was viewed more positively than China’s.
The US remained more popular as a country, with 63% expressing a favourable view, compared with 58% for China.
The survey interviewed about 19,200 people in 17 countries from May 7 to June 17, with a reported one-point margin of error.
- Who
- Latinobarómetro surveyed about 19,200 people across 17 Latin American countries.
- What
- The survey found that China’s influence was viewed more positively than US influence, though the US remained more popular as a country.
- When
- Interviews took place from May 7 to June 17, 2026; the findings were published October 3, 2026.
- Where
- Across 17 countries in Latin America.
- Why
- Latinobarómetro director Marta Lagos attributed the shift to closer ties with other global powers and China’s access to cheaper imports.
- Positive view of China’s influence
- 65%
- Positive view of US influence
- 57%
- China influence rating in 2020
- 48%
- US influence rating six years earlier
- 60%
- Favourable view of the US as a country
- 63%
- Favourable view of China as a country
- 58%
- Survey size and coverage
- About 19,200 face-to-face interviews in 17 countries
- Reported margin of error
- One percentage point