Objective/Context:

This article explores the reasons behind the imbalance and limitations that persist in Latin America to access public opinion information on public policy preferences.

Methodology:

A descriptive analysis of the development of public opinion studies in the region, based on interviews with academics and pollsters from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Uruguay.

Conclusions:

Although data availability to study public policy opinion in Latin America has significantly increased in the last three decades, limitations persist due to three factors: (i) Latin American states have played a sporadic role in generating information for research in this field. (ii) The role of the private sector and politicians as funders and generators of public opinion data makes the availability of information very sporadic and of limited access. (iii) The agenda of open access public opinion studies is defined by academics from the Global North, whose research agenda moves more towards issues of stability and democratic values than towards citizens’ public policy preferences.

Originality:

This paper contributes to a more comprehensive descriptive overview of the evolution of the sub-discipline of public opinion in Latin America. In addition, it highlights the need for public funds to systematically survey the public policy preferences of citizens in the region and make microdata publicly available to inform political decision-making and academic research.