LatAm in Focus: How Is a Changing World Reshaping Perspectives in the Americas?

Around 60 percent of Latinos who can cast a ballot have roots in Mexico, and more than half of people in the United States say it's important to maintain friendly relations with their neighbor, per surveys from the U.S.–Mexico Foundation (USMF). “In every single aspect of regular daily life of an average American: in prices, in water and also security and the geopolitical relationship between United States and the world, I think Mexico is playing a huge role,” said USMF Managing Director Enrique Perret. In a conversation with host Carin Zissis, Perret also explains why U.S. voters are souring on tariffs on Mexican goods. “We now have 19 months with tariffs, and I think people are saying, ‘That’s enough. You used the tool, but now it’s affecting the prices of goods in America—the price of construction, vehicles, food, everything.’”

Partnerships aren’t only evolving up north. Across the region, Latin Americans are paying closer attention to the vacillations of an increasingly multipolar world, international relations analyst Monica Hirst told AS/COA’s Luisa Leme. Drawing on results from the 2026 edition of the AMLAT Radar survey of 10 Latin American countries, Hirst outlines how concerns about poverty, inequality, and sovereignty are driving more “pragmatic” perspectives on foreign policy. “You don't have a perception in the region that there are hegemonic powers in place,” she said, adding, “What you see is that United States still stands out for military might, but China stands out for science and technology [and the] European Union still stands out for [the] defense of human rights and democracy.”  

Our guests

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Mark Hugo Lopez is director of race and ethnicity research at Pew Research Center. He is an expert on issues of racial and ethnic identity, Latino politics and culture, the U.S. Hispanic and Asian American populations, immigration, and the U.S. demographic landscape. In addition to writing extensively on these topics, Lopez frequently appears in national and international media in both Spanish and English. He received his doctorate in economics from Princeton University. 

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Gabriel Piña is a senior researcher focusing on race and ethnicity at Pew Research Center. He holds a doctorate in public affairs from Indiana University and a master of public policy from the University of Minnesota. 

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Enrique Perret is the managing director at the U.S.–Mexico Foundation as well as president and founder of the Foundation’s North Capital Forum, an initiative that seeks to promote North America as an economic, social, and political powerhouse. He is also a Fellow at the Milken Institute, where he contributes to initiatives focused on economic development and regional competitiveness. Perret previously worked for the Mexican government, during which time he focused on leading governmental commitments and business development strategies between the United States and Mexico. 

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Monica Hirst is a Brazilian scholar and independent international relations analyst who specializes in regional security, Latin American foreign policy, and regional cooperation. She is currently co-coordinator of the Latin American Conversatorium at the Institute for Social and Political Studies at the State University of Rio de Janeiro. Hirst also teaches in the MA in international studies at Torcuato di Tella University in Buenos Aires, Argentina. 

This episode was produced by Executive Producer Luisa Leme, Editorial Manager Chase Harrison, and Associate Producer Khalea Robertson. Carin Zissis is your host.  

Read the surveys referenced in this episode:  

• Pew Center for Research on presidential approval ratings among U.S. Latinos and the relationship between party affiliation and ethnic self-identification;  
• USMF quarterly surveys on U.S. voter attitudes towards the U.S.–Mexico relationship;  
• The 2026 AMLAT Radar Survey.  

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The music in the podcast is “Me gusta soñar” performed by the C4 Trio for Americas Society. Find out about upcoming concerts at musicoftheamericas.org. Share your love for Latin America: Join Americas Society.  

Opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of Americas Society/Council of the Americas or its members.