On 7 May, Guadalupe González and Ferran Martínez i Coma, researchers from the Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (Centre for Research and Teaching in Economics, or CIDE) of Mexico, presented their research study “The Americas and the World. Foreign policy and public opinion in Colombia, Chile, Mexico and Peru 2008”.

Through an analysis of public opinion on foreign policy in these four countries, the project examines social attitudes and perceptions toward international issues in a wide range of fields (including cultural, economic, political, social and security). The surveys have revealed data that is of great interest in terms of understanding the region and of filling a void of strategic information. The results show great pessimism as regards the present and future state of the world; this view contrasts with the high levels of optimism expressed with respect to Latin America. The issues that most concern citizens are those linked with social welfare and security, priority topics being: drug trafficking, organised crime, global warming and poverty. Likewise, the survey shows a markedly high degree of cultural, social and political nationalism, expressed in the form of great rejection for and mistrust of foreigners. Significantly, however, most of the people who took part in the survey beleieve that their own country has been the most influential over the past decade, as well as being the best-suited to lead the region in the future.

Participants also showed a marked preference toward their countries' activism on the international stage, as well as toward multilateralism for solving global challenges. Meanwhile, though there is a general sense of mistrust towards the United States (except in Colombia), an internal polarisation can be observed with respect to the ability of the US to maintain peace in the world. Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is the Hispano American leader who is held in the highest regard, and Spain is perceived more as a “friend” than just a “partner” by most of the people participating in the survey.

The commentators Rafael Grasa (UAB –IBEI) and Mariana Foglia (CIDOB- IBEI) highlighted the importance of the research study in that it provided input for academic research and decision-making in both the public and the private fields; they also offered ideas for improving the project's methodological focus and content.

>> More information available on the website Mexico and the world (CIDE)