--- title: "Americans’ views of Mexico, Canada diverge as Obama attends ‘Three Amigos’ summit" description: "President Obama meets with his Canadian and Mexican counterparts at a time when the U.S. public has a positive view of Canada, but more lukewarm feelings toward Mexico." date: "2014-02-19" authors: - name: "Jacob Poushter" job_title: "Associate Director, Global Attitudes Research" link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/jacob-poushter/" - name: "Bruce Drake" job_title: "Former Senior Editor" link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/bruce-drake/" url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2014/02/19/americans-views-of-mexico-canada-diverge-as-obama-attends-three-amigos-summit/" --- # Americans’ views of Mexico, Canada diverge as Obama attends ‘Three Amigos’ summit [![FT_MexCan](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2014/02/FT_MexCan.png)](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2013/12/03/section-5-public-views-of-selected-countries/) President Obama visits Mexico on Wednesday for what has become known as the “[Three Amigos Summit](http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/stephen-harper-heads-to-mexico-for-three-amigos-meeting-1.2540059)” with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto. It comes at a time when the U.S. public has a positive view of Canada, but more lukewarm feelings toward Mexico. Today’s meeting will focus on a host of issues, including trade since the three countries are all party to negotiations over the [Trans-Pacific Partnership](http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303491404579389520623076760), a trade agreement which is intended to reduce tariffs on certain goods and services. Mexico sees the treaty as a vehicle to better compete globally. But Obama is facing opposition from critics who say the agreement will result in economic losses like those some claim resulted from the [North American Free Trade Agreement](https://templatelab.com/north-american-free-trade-agreement/), which took effect 20 years ago. ### **Mexico** Only 39% of Americans expressed a favorable view of Mexico in a Pew Research Center [survey conducted last October-November](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2013/12/03/section-5-public-views-of-selected-countries/). This represents a substantial rise in unfavorable opinions of America’s southern neighbor since 2007, when the balance of opinion toward Mexico was positive (47% favorable, 37% unfavorable). In addition, Democrats are more likely than Republicans to view Mexico favorably, with 44% of Democrats holding a positive impression while just three-in-ten Republicans (30%) say the same. When Obama visited Mexico in May last year, [about two-thirds](https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2013/04/29/u-s-image-rebounds-in-mexico/) (66%) of Mexicans regarded the U.S. favorably. In 2010, when the immigration debate in the U.S. was at fever pitch because of Arizona’s [strict immigration law](http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/24/us/politics/24immig.html?_r=0), positive views of the U.S. dropped below the 50% mark. As of spring 2013, about half of Mexicans (49%) had confidence in Obama to do the right thing in world affairs, compared with the 55% who held that view in 2009. Seven-in-ten Mexicans in last year’s survey saw economic ties between the U.S. and Mexico as a good thing. An equal number said the U.S. had a great deal or fair amount of influence on economic conditions in their country, but there were mixed views among those about whether this was a good thing: 47% expressed a positive view while 40% had a negative one. ### **Canada** Meanwhile, the U.S. public sees Canada in a much more positive light with 81% of Americans having a favorable view of their northern neighbor, according to a [fall 2013 survey](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2013/12/03/section-5-public-views-of-selected-countries/). This represents the highest favorability levels of any country on the survey, outstripping Britain (79% favorable), Japan (70%), Germany (67%) and Israel (61%). One specific irritant in the U.S.-Canadian relationship is the battle over whether to build the Keystone XL pipeline which would carry Canadian oil from Alberta to U.S. Gulf Coast refineries. Canadian leaders [have been frustrated](http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2014/02/17/obama-canada-keystone-pipeline-summit/5555979/) by how long the decision has taken. A [State Department report](http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/state-to-release-keystones-final-environmental-impact-statement-friday/2014/01/31/3a9bb25c-8a83-11e3-a5bd-844629433ba3_story.html) last month found that the pipeline would unlikely have an effect on greenhouse gas emissions. On this issue, Obama may not be bucking public opinion if he gives the pipeline a green light. A [survey last March](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2013/04/02/keystone-xl-pipeline-draws-broad-support/) found 66% of Americans in favor of building the pipeline, including 82% of Republicans, 70% of independents and 54% of Democrats. Only liberal Democrats were in opposition, with 48% opposed and 42% in favor. As of [spring 2013](https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2013/07/18/americas-global-image-remains-more-positive-than-chinas/), 64% of Canadians had a favorable view of the U.S. However, Canadians’ confidence in Obama to do the right thing in international matters was far higher at 81% than it was in Mexico. But a sticking point for Canadians is their view of U.S. willingness to take their country’s interests into consideration when making decisions — only 31% of Canadians held that view last year, even before the most recent delays of the Keystone XL pipeline approval process.