This paper documents Mexican public opinion about the United States and the bilateral relationship. How interested have Mexicans been in the U.S. elections? How popular or unpopular have U.S. presidents been in Mexico? How do Mexicans rate the U.S.-Mexico relationship? What expectations do they have about the Biden-López Obrador relationship? Opinion polls conducted during the last two decades, from 2000 to 2021, help us respond to these questions in a straightforward way. However, looking at the shifts of opinion also raises a more speculative question: What role does presidential rhetoric play in shaping these public views? The question is relevant in the sense that President López Obrador seems to have adjusted the tone of his discourse with Donald Trump, and now his tone is subject to changes with Joe Biden.
This policy brief is part of our series "Re-Building a Complex Partnership: The Outlook for U.S.-Mexico Relations under the Biden Administration." The policy briefs will be released individually and published as a volume in early 2021.
About the Author
Alejandro Moreno
Professor of Political Science, Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM); Director of Public Opinion Polling, El Financiero
Mexico Institute
The Mexico Institute seeks to improve understanding, communication, and cooperation between Mexico and the United States by promoting original research, encouraging public discussion, and proposing policy options for enhancing the bilateral relationship. A binational Advisory Board, chaired by Luis Téllez and Earl Anthony Wayne, oversees the work of the Mexico Institute. Read more
