Pope Francis remains a popular figure in Latin America, according to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center. The study, titled “How People in Latin America and the U.S. view Pope Francis,” surveyed 6,234 adults in six of Latin America’s most populous countries. Despite a decrease in favorability in Argentina, attitudes towards the pope in countries like Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, and Peru are still largely positive. In Brazil and Mexico, for example, 68% of adults have a favorable opinion of Pope Francis.
In Argentina, however, the pope saw a significant drop in favorability, with only 64% of adults expressing a positive opinion of him compared to 91% a decade ago. The poll also revealed that in Colombia, 72% of adults have a positive view of the pope, compared to 83% in late 2013. Chile, on the other hand, only has about half of adults expressing a positive opinion of Francis. Despite these fluctuations in favorability, Pope Francis remains a popular figure in Latin America overall.
The survey also examined the perception of Pope Francis among U.S. adults, revealing that while his favorable impression reached high points between 2015 and 2017 when seven-in-ten Americans viewed him positively, it has since decreased. Today, 57% of U.S. adults have a favorable opinion of the pope. The poll found that U.S. Catholics are more likely to have positive views of Pope Francis (75%) than Protestants (51%) or the religiously unaffiliated (56%). This indicates a difference in perception among various religious groups in the United States.
Overall, the survey highlights Pope Francis’s enduring popularity in Latin America, despite some fluctuations in favorability in certain countries like Argentina. While his favorability has decreased in the U.S. since its peak between 2015 and 2017, a majority of U.S. adults still hold a positive opinion of the pope. The poll also underscores the varying perceptions of Pope Francis among different religious groups in the U.S., with Catholics being more likely to view him favorably compared to Protestants and the religiously unaffiliated.
The results of the Pew Research Center survey shed light on the ongoing impact of Pope Francis in Latin America and the United States. Despite some fluctuations in favorability in countries like Argentina, the pope continues to be viewed positively in most Latin American countries. His popularity remains relatively high in the U.S. as well, with a majority of U.S. adults expressing a favorable opinion of him. The survey also reveals differing perceptions among religious groups in the U.S., with Catholics being more likely to have a positive view of Pope Francis compared to Protestants and the religiously unaffiliated.
