People in Latin American and the Caribbean are more optimistic than the OECD average about their governments' ability to tackle complex global challenges, even as overall levels of trust in government remain lower according to a new OECD report.
OECD Survey on Drivers of Trust in Public Institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean: 2025 Results is the first regional initiative conducted under the Global Trust Survey Project. Covering ten Latin American and Caribbean countries*, the survey explores participants' experiences with and expectations of their governments across key areas such as reliability, responsiveness, ability to manage long-term and global challenges, integrity, fairness, and openness.
Across the ten countries surveyed: on average, 35% of people express high or moderately high trust in the national government, while around half (48%) report low or no trust. Public trust varies significantly across countries and institutions. The armed forces, police, and media are more trusted than the judiciary, the civil service, legislatures and political parties.
Note: Data collected in OECD countries (Q4 2023); in non-OECD countries (May-June 2025).
Trust also varies across population groups, with trust in public institutions lower among those with financial, security and discrimination concerns, and among women and younger people. Perceptions of political voice and partisanship are more strongly associated with trust gaps than socio-economic and demographic characteristics.
People who feel they have a say and the government listens to them are three times more likely to trust their government than those who do not. Currently, only 25% of respondents feel they have a say in government decisions, and just 36% believe national governments are held accountable by legislatures.
"Our Survey shows that by ensuring high-quality public services and making progress in tackling complex challenges, governments in Latin America and the Caribbean can foster public trust," OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann said. "People's perceptions of how governments balance the interests of current and future generations, and how they use the best available evidence to make complex policy decisions, play a decisive role in shaping trust in both the national government and the civil service".
The Survey offers insights on how public institutions could improve governance to meet people's rising expectations as governments around the world navigate critical transitions. LAC governments can seek to close trust gaps by ensuring quality, fairness and speed in service delivery, focusing on emergency preparedness and improving the capacity to address complex challenges, emphasising evidence-based policymaking, and improving communication and accountability.
Explore the OECD's other work on Trust in Government.
