Andres Oppenheimer
A new poll conducted in 18 Latin American countries confirms that
The survey of more than 20,000 people released Wednesday by the
"This is the highest image
Among the countries where the U.S. enjoys the best image are the
The country where
Among other survey findings:
- When compared with other high-profile countries,
- Younger Latin Americans tend to have a better image of
- When asked how they perceive
So what do you make of all these figures? I asked Lagos.
"There's no question that Obama has a huge political capital in the region, but there is a big question about whether he is using it," Lagos responded. "Aside from a huge display of diplomacy and good will, there are no visible, easily identifiable actions."
She added that the region's honeymoon with the U.S. president "may last a long time, because there is a lot of goodwill toward Obama, but it won't last forever."
My opinion: I agree, and I'm afraid that Obama is wasting a great opportunity to build closer ties with the hemisphere by not pushing for congressional ratification of pending free-trade agreements with
Last weekend, Obama announced that he wants to wrap up trade negotiations with
Does that mean a "yes" to
On
If
Obama should push for congressional ratification of the
Available at Amazon.com:
At War with the Weather: Managing Large-Scale Risks in a New Era of Catastrophes
- Obama Wasting Opportunities in Latin America
- Obama Immigration Speech All Words -- No Action
- Obama Immigration Reform: Tell It to Us Straight
- Obama's Unclear Path to Immigration Reform
- Obama's Border Talk: Little Action
- Mexico: The New Cocaine Cowboys
- Under Santos Colombia Could Rise to the Next Level
- Autocrats' Latest Weapon: Indirect Censorship
- Latin America's Rich Should Be More Generous
- Castrocare in Crisis
- World Cup Soccer Can Have Political Impact
- Gulf Oil Spill Could Bring U.S. and Cuba Closer
- Colombia Vote Showed Social Media's Limits
- New Political Winds in Latin America
- Colombia: Moving Beyond 'Narco-Democracy'
- Is Colombia's Front-runner Too Romantic? Not Really
- Mexico has its own 'Arizona' problem
- Brazil Diplomacy Needed Closer to Home
- Hugo Chavez Ceding too Much Control to Cuba
- Cuban Cardinal Says Too Little Too Late
- The Starving Armenians
- Arizona's Anti-Immigrant Law Will Spark Hispanic Exodus
- Open Season on Latinos in Arizona
- Obama Criticism of Arizona Immigration Law Ignores Federal Incompetence
- Mexico's Big Hope: Get 5 Million U.S. Retirees
- U.S. Latin Policy: Big Gestures and Little Substance
- Latin America Must Diversify Trade With China
- Cuba After Fidel and Raul Castro
- Earthquake May Delay Chile's First World Goal
(C) 2010 Andres Oppenheimer