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Americans know little about Latin America: poll

WASHINGTON (Reuters Life!) - Despite President George W. Bush's campaign to improve the United States' image in Latin America, very few Americans seem to know what is going on in the region, a new poll showed.

A recent Zogby International poll showed that the large majority of Americans did not know the names of the presidents of Brazil and Mexico, the two biggest economies in the region.

Only 10 percent of the 7,362 adults interviewed were familiar with Brazil's second term president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and just 20 percent knew of Mexican President Felipe Calderon.

"In part this reflects the fact that Americans don't pay much attention to foreign affairs generally," said Peter Hakim of the Inter-American Dialogue, a Washington think tank which was involved in the poll.

"If you ask them who the president of Pakistan or Iraq is, they probably might not know," he added.

Bush visited five Latin American countries in March in an effort to boost U.S. influence in a region that elected several left-wing leaders in recent years.

The poll showed that just one in four Americans approve of Bush's handling of U.S. relations with Latin America, but 60 percent said his administration has done poorly.

Three of the four free trade deals waiting for approval in the U.S. Congress are with Latin American countries -- Peru, Panama and Colombia.

The Zogby poll showed that about 48 percent of Americans think the United States should have more trade agreements with Latin America while one in three were opposed.

Brazil, Mexico and Costa Rica appeared as the closest allies of the United States. Venezuela and Cuba topped the list of the least friendly, followed by Colombia, which is in fact a firm ally.

More than half those polled said the United States should be talking to the Cuban government, which for decades has been its fiercest rival in the region, and 56 percent said the increasing influence of communist China in Latin America is a serious threat to U.S. influence.

The online poll was conducted between July 27 and 30th and has a margin of error of 1.2 percentage points.

By morphus on Aug 23, 2007, 15:30 in Politics & the war.

morphus says on Aug 23, 2007, 15:34:

Lol...Colombia third least friendly after Cuba and Venezuela. Then again, Colombians did'nt show Bush any love when he went there.

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Lucas Freley says on Aug 23, 2007, 15:47:

First, LatinoAmerica is not a region. For Europe, Commonwealth and USA, it means a term that include all the countries from Mexico to Ushuaia. But if you want to talk property, you have to say Central America and South America. And of course Mexico is in North America.
So if they doesn't know this, is impossible pretend to know the names of the Presidents of the region. Don't you think so ?

Hoy que estás esplendida y que todo lo iluminas, demos un paseo, vuelta por el Universo (Gustavo Cerati)

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morphus says on Aug 23, 2007, 16:01:

Latin America (Portuguese and Spanish América Latina, French: Amérique latine) is the region of the Americas where Romance languages, those derived from Latin (particularly Spanish and Portuguese), are primarily spoken. Latin America is contrasted with the lesser known term Anglo-America, that region of the Americas where English predominates.

Ushuaia is not a country.

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Tinto (Moderator) says on Aug 23, 2007, 16:09:

Sounds like the Ministry of Tourism needs to crank up the "Colombia es Pasion" campaign or maybe amend it to "Somos Amigos no Enemigos."

;-)

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BAQ says on Aug 23, 2007, 16:13:

GOT TO AGREE, we as Americans dont know shit about Latin America. We THINK we do but we dont, and YES, myself included. After visiting here many times and having a latin girlfriend ect, SURE, I thought I knew what was what, UNTIL I MOVED HERE, then I realized just how much I DIDNT know and after having been here for three plus years I am STILL learning.

So yes, America as a whole, dont know nothin about LA

Semper Fidelis !

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Sr Tertius says on Aug 23, 2007, 17:41:

I don't blame Americans for considering Colombia as 3rd least friendly.

I wouldn't trust a "friend" with no dignity who's constantly sucking up to me.

"When the finger points to the moon, the fool looks at the finger" (Chinese proverb)

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john_stark says on Aug 23, 2007, 17:42:

Why do we need to know anything? Is there going to be a test?

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saddlespur says on Aug 23, 2007, 17:50:

Lucas your dead on! Kudos to you. Very intellegent observation and comment.

To Get What You Never Had...You Must Do What You've Never Done.

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Lucas Freley says on Aug 23, 2007, 19:44:

Morphus, Latino América is not a political region nor phisical. It doesn't exist. Of course I know that europeans and in the USA use this term as equivalent of Third World. But is their problem. I refer to Ushuaia because I used Mexico as a City. Because you know that Mexico is the capital of...Mexico (North America). And of course I know the term "Anglosajon". But is not a region, is a way to refer some culture.

Thanks saddlespur. I only exposed the facts.

Hoy que estás esplendida y que todo lo iluminas, demos un paseo, vuelta por el Universo (Gustavo Cerati)

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juancegomez says on Aug 23, 2007, 20:53:

Of course they don't. But then again, they don't need to know.

Btw, Bush is massively unpopular here, but also in many other places that don't seem to rank that "low" on the list of "perceptions".

SrTertius: Makes sense...but then again, I hardly think that's the reason why they are not "trusting us".

I would bet that it's something much simpler.

Say, I imagine that if you ask the average U.S. American, there's a big chance that they'll reply badly about Colombia just because "that's where drugs come from...oh, plus guerrillas and/or kidnappings too" first, before talking about anything else.

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Simon says on Aug 23, 2007, 21:26:

"Brazil, Mexico and Costa Rica appeared as the closest allies of the United States. Venezuela and Cuba topped the list of the least friendly, followed by Colombia, which is in fact a firm ally."

Such crass ignorance! But it doesn't surprise me at all, it's no secret (US)americans as a whole are pretty ignorant about the rest of the world.

"Say, I imagine that if you ask the average U.S. American, there's a big chance that they'll reply badly about Colombia just because "that's where drugs come from...oh, plus guerrillas and/or kidnappings too" first, before talking about anything else."

Great point Juance! They'll reply badly because this is where Pablo Escobar is still sending all those nasty drugs to the US.

HERE'S SIMON!!!!

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scotty says on Aug 24, 2007, 00:38:

john _stark you are a funny guy, you crack me up sometimes " is there gonna be a test"?, good one.

Get Rhythm, when you got the blues. Johnny Cash

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scotty says on Aug 24, 2007, 00:40:

hey i as an american know alot about Colombia, after all i saw the movie "clear and present danger" .

Get Rhythm, when you got the blues. Johnny Cash

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goin_south says on Aug 24, 2007, 00:51:

and, I bet you even saw 'Mr & Mrs. Smith' ;)

'what does it mean, when one of you (colombians) tell another: YOU WERE NOT/ARE NOT. 'COLOMBIAN ENOUGH'?? jejeje..a mixture, I think, of stupidity mixed with a false sense of arrogance.. How 'colombian' do you have to be? to be 'colombian enough

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goin_south says on Aug 24, 2007, 00:54:

from the O Post: " very few Americans seem to know what is going on in the region"...

Nor do most Americans (north, of course!) care. They are all too damned wrapped up in their greedy, materialistic, 24/7, plastic, cell phone lives.

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scotty says on Aug 24, 2007, 00:59:

GS i also saw that movie with Michael Douglas, what was the name of that movie? so i am well educated in Colombian lifestyle.

Get Rhythm, when you got the blues. Johnny Cash

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Robert Jorge says on Aug 24, 2007, 02:16:

Romancing the Stone. I loved that movie. I loved the chase scene where while being chased by the military, the narco guy drives Douglas through the countryside in his "little mule Pepe" and gives him a tour of the pueblo - "That is where my cousin was born." Classic movie.

--"I believe in making the world safe for our children. But not for our children's children, because I don't think that children should be having sex." - Jack Handy

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Robert Jorge says on Aug 24, 2007, 02:20:

"Ah man, the Doobie Brothers broke up."

"Now that's what I call a camp fire!"

--"I believe in making the world safe for our children. But not for our children's children, because I don't think that children should be having sex." - Jack Handy

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scotty says on Aug 24, 2007, 02:21:

Oh yea thats it Romancing the Stone. Danny Divito was in that to. i liked it when they went to that hacienda and everyone knew who Jean Wilder was and treated her like a queen,but no one knew or cared about Michael Douglas.

Get Rhythm, when you got the blues. Johnny Cash

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Robert Jorge says on Aug 24, 2007, 02:22:

Ya, Joan Wilder saved their ass by everybody being fans of her trashy, romance novels.

--"I believe in making the world safe for our children. But not for our children's children, because I don't think that children should be having sex." - Jack Handy

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tomtom33 says on Aug 24, 2007, 05:33:

The US Democrats lead the hate Bush charge. It kind of amazes me that the totally inept idiot that the Dems portray could have lied the US and so many allies into the Iraqi war and covered up his bombing of the World Trade Center.

Damned if you do. Double damned if you don't.

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miamimike says on Aug 24, 2007, 05:45:

Doesn't help Bush's Image in Colombia in that those Colombian Soldiers who were recruited for Iraq as Private Soldiers of Fortune by Blackwater were cheated out of the Wages promised in thier contract once they landed in Iraq,,,Thats what these guys will remember about Bush's Iraq,,,

"Wait a minute. What did you just say? You're predicting $4-a-gallon gas? That's interesting. I hadn't heard that." -- Feb. 28, 2008 --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C.

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Colombiche says on Aug 24, 2007, 09:44:

Lucas, yo creo que muchos gringos creen que en Latino America se habla latin.

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

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Lucas Freley says on Aug 24, 2007, 20:19:

Probablemente Meli. Porque no rumano, ya que Rumania es latino. Bueno algo de latin se: pacta sunt servanda rebuc sic stantibus.
alterum non laedere
lege lata lege ferenda
Mmm...si tal vez tenga razón. Es Latino America...

Hoy que estás esplendida y que todo lo iluminas, demos un paseo, vuelta por el Universo (Gustavo Cerati)

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billyb says on Aug 24, 2007, 20:25:

Yo quiero mucho al US, pero si son en general la jente mas ignorante en el mundo cuando se trata de asuntos the geografia, historia y eventos corrientes.

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Robert Jorge says on Aug 24, 2007, 20:43:

Miamimike ... Blackwater is a private company. They don't represent the US government. They are contacters. And if everything I read about what they did is true, I hope their upper management gets their 100.000 dollar armored Yukon fragged while are in it. Scum-bags.

--"I believe in making the world safe for our children. But not for our children's children, because I don't think that children should be having sex." - Jack Handy

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Robert Jorge says on Aug 24, 2007, 20:44:

"while THEY are in it"

--"I believe in making the world safe for our children. But not for our children's children, because I don't think that children should be having sex." - Jack Handy

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Mr. Hollywood says on Aug 27, 2007, 11:38:

Last I checked, the US was wholeheartedly a PART of Latin America.

Of course, American's are basically dumbfucks about our own country, too. I know Calderon and Lula, but I don't know if I could tell you any governors of US states other than Arhnold in California and Spitzer in NY. And that probably puts me at least one state ahead of most other Gringos.

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morphus says on Aug 27, 2007, 12:58:

Then again, Latinos from Latin America don't know much about the U.S. They get most of their information from Hollywood movies and TV shows.

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Mr. Hollywood says on Aug 27, 2007, 13:28:

Are you saying that information is not correct?

I always thought "West Wing" was the final word on US politics.

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podborski says on Aug 27, 2007, 19:50:

If you asked the average american who the president of kazakhstan is they wouldn't have a clue, but if you ask the average kazaki(?jaja) who the president of the US is, they know the answer.

So the conclusion is: americans are ignorant.

But to be fair you should ask the kazaki who the prime minister of Canada is, I guarantee you they wouldn't have a clue.

There are informed and uninformed people everywhere, probably in almost exactly equal percentages of the population, no matter where you are. IMHO.

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houstongal says on Aug 27, 2007, 20:10:

So true pod. Earlier this year I was working with a Brazilian and we had to stop by the security office to sign in. I sent him into the office while I waited in the car. My colleague made small talk with the security guy and told him that he was from Brazil, to which the security guy exclaims, "I'm from Europe too!" My colleague kept a straight face while ascertaining that the guy was from Romania. So ignorance is everywhere, not just in the US.

Culture is language and language is culture - Dr. Annamaria Napolitano

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Man Tequila says on Aug 27, 2007, 20:14:

Maybe he thought the Brazillian guy was saying Brussels or something.

Americans are ignorant about foreign policy, and if anything know more about Central and South America than other regions.

Aunque no me creas/ si me lo propongo/ lograre olvidarte/ porque a fin de cuentas/ no soy tan cobarde./ Y termino todo una de estas tardes/ no sera dificil buscar algún sitio donde refugiarme/ donde nunca mas vuelvas a encontrarme. (Polo Montañez)

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houstongal says on Aug 27, 2007, 20:25:

Well, MT, if you saw the guy you definitely wouldn't think he's from Europe....wait, Brussels is in Europe isn't it?! ;-)

Culture is language and language is culture - Dr. Annamaria Napolitano

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Man Tequila says on Aug 27, 2007, 20:29:

Those darn Belgians are always trying to samba and get you to try their little capirinihas... I think your Brazillian friend is just waffling.

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podborski says on Aug 27, 2007, 20:41:

I think if you did a test on foreign policy knowledge, the average person in NYC would do as well as the average person in London, Paris, Rome etc.

And the average Joe in Little Rock Arkansas would do as well as Jacques from Trois Rivieres or George from Bradford.

I admit I might be wrong about this, but I really don't think so.

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houstongal says on Aug 27, 2007, 20:42:

LOL! I'll tell him that the next time I see him.

Culture is language and language is culture - Dr. Annamaria Napolitano

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Man Tequila says on Aug 27, 2007, 20:44:

Well, you're certainly wrong about George from Bradford. He ain't the sharpest tool in the shed.

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houstongal says on Aug 27, 2007, 20:48:

Yeah, even scarier is that he's the security guard! Most guards come out of their shack to greet visitors. This one made us come out to see him. We played chicken one day to see how long it would take him to notice that we weren't getting out of the car. Almost considered driving through the open gate without checking in. Needless to say, we ratted on the guy.

Culture is language and language is culture - Dr. Annamaria Napolitano

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Robert Jorge says on Aug 28, 2007, 01:43:

I read about a study that surveyed people from most American and European countries on geography knowledge and current world affairs knowledge. The US respondents ranked second to last. The only country that had a lower score was Mexico. I wish I had more specific info, but that was 8 years ago or so when I read it. I seem to remember eastern European countries scoring the highest.

--"I believe in making the world safe for our children. But not for our children's children, because I don't think that children should be having sex." - Jack Handy

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billyb says on Aug 28, 2007, 06:59:

RJ, that could be because when they were growing up behind the Iron Curtain, they were always researching which countries they were going to scape to :)

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podborski says on Aug 28, 2007, 09:05:

I have to admit I have been impressed with how cultured and educated the Czechs are (and I imagine it goes for hungarians, slovaks, etc).

A girl I know there speaks 6 languages, can debate international politics, law, business, philosphy, and has an impressive knowledge of music ranging from classical to opera to punk.

So, she's above the norm of course, but I do think in general they place more importance over there on learning things like music, languages, literature.

Americans are more interested in business.

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john_stark says on Aug 28, 2007, 22:11:

"A girl I know there speaks 6 languages, can debate international politics, law, business, philosphy, and has an impressive knowledge of music ranging from classical to opera to punk."

Yeah but does she have a nice pair of legs and a great ass?

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