U.S.-Centric Media Perspective

Here is a really good example of how U.S.-centric the media can be. It takes two different facts:

1. Some leftist leaders in Latin America have solid approval ratings

2. The U.S. government does not like some of these leaders

And then comes to the conclusion that these Latin American leaders are popular because they are unpopular in the United States.

The results are a telling portrait of how Latin America’s constituencies favor leaders who are willing to buck up against the so-called big brother to the north and not adhere to U.S. interests in the region. 

The idea that Latin American citizens base their opinions about their presidents on something other than their relationship with the United States seems not to compute. Instead, the article acknowledges popular policies Rafael Correa has implemented, then basically says that people approve of them in large part because the United States opposes them.

The populist appeal to their countries’ working class has helped leaders like Correa and Morales win elections and stay in power despite a number of questionable moves that have garnered a slew of criticism from the U.S. and international bodies like the United Nations and the Organziation of American States.

The sentence should just end with the word "power" and it would make a lot more sense (Also, please do a spell check before publishing a story).

But it gets worse because it then echoes Sebastián Piñera's recent whining about why he isn't popular.

Both Colombia’s Santos and Chile’s Piñera have approval rating well under 40 percent – 25 and 36 percent, respectively. 

While both these countries have made huge steps in terms of freedom in the past few decades, the presidents’ ranking highlight the paradox these democratically-elected leaders have to deal with: that managing a vibrant economy in the give-and-take world a multi-branch government doesn'’t always make you a popular leader.

Funny enough, it doesn't mention that both of their predecessors left office with very high approval ratings! But the article wants to paint a picture of beleaguered pro-U.S. presidents who are unpopular in large part because they follow the U.S. suggested rules.

The takeaway, then, is that when Latin Americans form opinions, the first thing they do is think of the United States. Right.