Public Opinion and Foreign Policy in Colombia

International affairs and foreign policy are not generally headline news or a matter of public debate in Colombia, yet according to the Colombia, the Americas and the World 2010 poll, Colombians have formed their own opinions about what is going on in the world and their country’s foreign policy. Based on the findings of this study, Arlene Tickner explores trends in public opinion, only to discover that despite professing an interest in international issues, Colombians are not well informed of these issues or their country’s foreign policy. The author believes that, aside from reflecting a lack of public debate on foreign policy and the limited influence of global affairs in domestic political life, public opinion in Colombia either mirrors the government’s priorities and actions or what the media, the government and multilateral entities portray as priorities.