Sort of a continuation of my prior diary on Lating America and its move to a more European style Social Democracy.
Another indication that Latin America is disengaging with the United States and forming closer alliances with Europe,
The poll also shows that leaders in the region are upbeat about their prospects, but are split over the best course for their economic futures. Some want more integration with other countries in their region, while others prefer more economic independence from other nations.
Slightly more respondents (26%) said they favor a more integrated economy with Europe than with the U.S (23%). Another 23% said they would like their nation to be integrated more with other Latin American countries, while 20% said they would like their nation to be more economically independent.
Just 5% said they believed Latin America should pursue more integration with China, but 37% said they believe China will eventually become a major economic partner with countries in the region.
The Miami Herald/University of Miami School of Business Administration/Zogby Elite poll of Latin America was conducted from August 17 through September 15, 2005, interviewing 523 opinion leaders in the public and private sectors, mass media and academia. Respondents were from six countries, including Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Venezuela, Brazil, and Argentina. The survey carries a margin of error of +/-4.4 percentage points.
By a wide margin, respondents said the U.S. should focus on a more balanced trade policy with Latin America. Asked what kinds of changes the United States should make in its economic relationship with Latin America, 47% said the U.S. should have more balanced trade relations with Latin America, while 22% said the goal should be to create a European-style hemispheric union. Another 16% said the U.S. should concentrate on free-trade agreements.
Respondents had an overwhelmingly negative view of President Bush's policies. Asked to compare his policies toward Latin America with those of his predecessors, 50% said they were worse for the region, while just six percent said they were better. Forty-two percent said they were about the same. Mexicans (66%) were most likely to think Bush's policies made things worse.
Respondents were also highly negative about the Bush administration's handling of world conflict. Eighty-six percent said they disagreed with the U.S. management of the issue, while just 14 percent agreed. Almost two of every three (61%) said they strongly disagreed with U.S. handling of conflicts around the globe.
Four out of five respondents (81%) gave Mr. Bush a negative overall job approval rating.
Asked who they think would benefit most from free trade between the U.S. and Latin America, a majority of respondents (54%) said the U.S. would benefit more, while just nine percent said Latin American countries would benefit more. One-third (36%) said both would benefit.
A majority of the respondents (67%) said they believe the U.S. should pay more attention to Latin America "because they are strategic partners in trade and the war on terrorism," while 21% said they think the U.S. should instead work on reducing its trade deficit with China and solving conflicts in the Middle East.
Pollster John Zogby: Clearly, Bush's presidency has done damage to U.S. prestige in Latin America. Their apparent lack of confidence in him is no doubt behind opinion leaders in the region wanting to look elsewhere to form economic alliances. The continuing maturation of the European Union provides Latin America with a viable alternative.
It is also interesting to note the optimism that many leaders in the region have about their own economies, which is a notable improvement over the last survey two years ago. More than three out of four expect their economies to improve in the next two years, with optimism strongest among government officials. Respondents in each of the six countries believe their economy will improve, led by the optimism in Chile, where 94 percent of the respondents think their country is on the upswing, and almost everyone is pleased with the leadership of President Ricardo Lagos.
The emergence of China as a competitor is a new factor for the region, but while 56% now see it as a competitor, almost four in 10 think China will eventually be a valuable economic partner. This, along with the strong showing of the European Union, shows opinion leaders in the region are now willing to look beyond the U.S. to form strategic partnerships to reach their economic goals...
