Latin America Now Views China Over US: Poll — SkimNews
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- Latinobarometro's 2026 survey found 65% of respondents across 17 countries view China's global influence as positive versus 57% for the US — the first time China has outranked the US in the poll's 31-year history
- China's positive ratings climbed from 48% in 2020 while US positive ratings fell from 60% over the same period, a 20-point swing in relative standing
- Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic were the only countries surveyed where respondents viewed US influence more favorably than China's
- Overall favorability still favors the US at 63% versus 58% for China, though the US figure dropped 10 points from 73% in 2024
- Trump's second-term military posture in the region — strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats and the capture of Venezuela's then-leader Nicolas Maduro in Brazil — coincides with the shift; Trump has branded his approach the "Donroe Doctrine"
- A majority in 16 of 17 countries approved of Maduro's capture, though views on its impact on Venezuela split: 35% said it helped while 28% said it harmed the country
- The survey was based on roughly 19,200 face-to-face interviews conducted May 7–June 17, 2026, with a 1% margin of error
Why it matters: The 20-point swing in influence perceptions since 2020 undercuts the strategic premise of Trump's 'Donroe Doctrine': even as the Maduro capture wins majority approval, US soft-power standing is eroding while Beijing's image improves in step. The US still leads on overall favorability (63% to 58%), but its 10-point drop from 2024 shows the competitive floor in Latin America is shifting beneath Washington.
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