Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–11, Part 1, Documents on Mexico; Central America; and the Caribbean, 1973–1976

43. Summary of Interagency Intelligence Memorandum NIO IIM 76–017¹

Washington, April 26, 1976.

[Omitted here are a title page and a warning notice page.]

LATIN AMERICAN PERCEPTIONS OF THE UNITED STATES²

SUMMARY

While most Latin American countries continue to regard the United States as a rich and powerful country, the outcome of the Vietnam war has led them to the conclusion that they had an exaggerated image of U.S strength and resolve. Lack of U.S response to Cuban action in Angola made some Latins nervous about their vulnerability to the communist threat, but most believe the U.S. would react vigorously in the Western Hemisphere.

The domestic problems which beset the U.S. in the form of Watergate, intelligence investigations, and differences between the U.S. Executive and the Congress are viewed by many Latins as examples of the kind of national disarray that led to traumas in some of their own countries. Many Latins wonder about the true value of Executive commitment if Congress can effectively block it.

Latin bitterness has increased as their relationship with the U.S. has turned on a series of differences based on trade, investment, and military support. But it remains dogma for most of the governments to align themselves with the U.S. on issues of survival. Further, they consider cooperative ties with the U.S. to be both natural and desirable, so long as the relationship does not relegate them to the role of satellites and provided it permits them to adopt adversary positions when they see it in their own best interests to do so.

Impressed by the stunning impact of OPEC, Latins have formed their own economic blocs and are gratified by the flexible strengths they perceive in attracting cooperation from the U.S. or in applying leverage against it. Furthermore, they have become more responsive to the overtures of other countries and blocs.

Latin America’s changing behavior toward the U.S. results in part from a perception of weakened U.S. ability to deal with domestic and international problems, including the growing realization that U.S. hegemony in the hemisphere has limitations; but principally it stems from the region’s new appreciation of its own growing international importance and of its need to follow policies responsive to its more sharply defined interest.

[Omitted here is the body of the memorandum.]

1. Summary: This analysis examined Latin American perceptions of the United States in the wake of the Vietnam war and Watergate.

   Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Country Files for Latin America, Latin America—General 3, 11/1/76–12/20/76. Confidential; [handling restriction not declassified]. All brackets are in the original except those indicating text omitted by the editors or denoting original footnotes. In a February 13 memorandum to Kissinger, Harold Saunders of INR provided an analysis of Latin American views on the United States based on input from U.S. diplomatic posts in the region, concluding that “Latin American perceptions of the U.S. for the most part have not been influenced as much as one might have expected by Vietnam, Watergate, revelations of U.S. intelligence activities, and Presidential-Congressional differences.” (National Archives, RG 59, Records of Henry Kissinger, Entry 5403, Lot 78D443, Box 19, Nodis Briefing Memoranda, 1976)

2. This memorandum was prepared under the auspices of the Acting National Intelligence Officer for Latin America. It was drafted by the Office of Current Intelligence of the Central Intelligence Agency after consultation with representatives of the Intelligence Community and with contributions from U.S. Ambassadors in Latin America [Footnote is in the original].