OECD Survey on Drivers of Trust in Public Institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean 2025 Results

Overview

Governments in Latin America and the Caribbean are at a critical juncture. Like countries around the world, they must navigate environmental, digital, and demographic transitions in an increasingly uncertain global context marked by heightened geopolitical tensions, rising trade costs, sluggish current and projected economic growth and growing instability (OECD, 2024[1]; OECD, 2025[2]). At the same time, LAC countries continue to grapple with persistent structural challenges, including high levels of inequality and informality, and the need to strengthen public governance, including to safeguard public integrity (OECD, 2024[3]; OECD et al., 2024[4]).

In this complex environment, maintaining and growing trust in institutions is particularly challenging. Public officials and policymakers in democracies rely on interpersonal and institutional trust to address practical day-to-day governance concerns and to make complex policy decisions addressing national and global issues. Trust nurtures political participation lowers transaction costs – in governance, in society, and in the economy – and facilitates compliance with public policies. It also fosters support for difficult reforms, enabling better policy outcomes (Putnam, 1993[5]; Rothstein, 2011[6]; Algan and Cahuc, 2013[7]; Brezzi et al., 2021[8]; Fukuyama, 1995[9]). Conversely, low levels of trust can hinder effective public service delivery, contribute to welfare losses, and lead countries down a path of slower long-term economic growth (Acemoglu and Robinson, 2012[10]). Low trust can also erode social cohesion and fracture societies (Keefer and Scartascini, 2022[11]).

In democracies, trust is an important indicator of how people relate to public institutions and perceive their performance. However, high levels of trust in public institutions are not necessarily the ultimate goal of public governance. In fact, democracies are unique in allowing, and even encouraging, people to express their lack of trust or scepticism toward their governments. Rather than blind trust, democracies thrive on informed, critical engagement. This openness to scrutiny and dissent is one of the elements that underpins democratic resilience. By fostering free and open discourse, democracies are well equipped to evolve, respond to rising public expectations, and pursue greater trustworthiness over time (OECD, 2024[1]).

While challenges are significant, the present moment also offers opportunities. Forty years after the last wave of re-democratisation, democracy is firmly rooted in the region. According to the latest Latinobarometer data, public support for democracy has risen since 2018, the year in which it was at the lowest level on record (Latinobarometro, 2024[12]). Moreover, waves of institutional reforms over recent decades have expanded access to rights and strengthened electoral processes, with over 220 national and local "free and fair" elections held since the 1980s (Welp, 2022[13]). In addition, digitalisation provides new opportunities to strengthen trust.

This report presents the findings of the OECD Survey on the Drivers of Trust in Public Institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean (OECD Trust Survey in LAC), the first regional initiative conducted under the Global Trust Survey Project1. Covering ten Latin American and Caribbean countries, the survey offers the most comprehensive regional analysis and stocktaking to date of the complex relationship between public trust and democratic governance. The survey asks Latin Americans about their experiences with, and expectations of governments in key areas, such as reliability, responsiveness, capacity to address complex and global challenges, integrity, fairness, and openness (Box 1). The core questionnaire implemented in non-OECD LAC countries is largely aligned with the 2023 OECD Trust Survey, allowing for international comparison and benchmarking. At the same time, new questions were introduced so that this measurement tool could reflect regional specificities, improving the relevance of the survey for understanding the main drivers of public trust in LAC.

Box 1. The OECD Survey on Drivers of Trust in Public Institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean

The OECD Trust Survey represents the first cross-national population survey devoted solely and extensively to measuring institutional trust and its determinants. Following the 2022 Luxembourg Declaration on Building Trust and Reinforcing Democracy, the survey has been carried out every two years. Over time, the number of participating OECD countries rose from 22 in the 2021 inaugural survey to 30 in 2023 and 33 in 2025. The creation of the Global Trust Survey Project in 2024 made it possible for non-OECD countries to participate in the survey. Six LAC and three European countries that are non-members of the OECD took the opportunity and participated in 2025.

The first OECD Trust Survey in LAC covers ten LAC countries. These countries volunteered to participate. Data collection took place at two points in time: October and November 2023 for the OECD LAC countries (Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico) and May 2025 in Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Paraguay, and Peru. In nine out of ten countries, survey providers (TGM and Ipsos) carried out the data collection through an online survey. In Mexico, the national statistical institute (INEGI) carried out in-person interviews. The sample size was typically around 2000 respondents per country. Data are generally representative of the adult population (those over 18 years old) at the national level, based on quotas by age, gender, region of residence, education, and income, while in Mexico, the sample covers the urban adult population. Soft quotas were applied for income levels. Education levels were grouped into two categories for analysis: (1) low/medium and (2) high, as usually the ‘low education’ demographic group is underrepresented in the survey panels across countries. Annex B provides further information about the data collection.

The Trust Survey questionnaire follows the structure of the OECD Framework on Drivers of Trust in Public Institutions, which defines trust as “a person’s belief that another person or institution will act consistently with their expectation of positive behaviour”. The framework groups the various factors influencing public trust in three main categories (see Annex 1A). First, the five core public governance drivers cover the degree to which people expect institutions to be reliable and responsive in formulating and implementing policies and services, while upholding values of fairness, integrity, and openness. Institutions that align with these expectations can promote a sense of security, dignity, and mutual respect. Governments can more directly influence on these perceptions and leverage them to build trust. Second, trust in public institutions may be driven by perceptions of the capacity of government to respond to complex and global challenges. Finally, public trust can be influenced by various cultural and socio-economic factors, as well as by political preferences.

The questionnaire includes questions regarding trust levels in different public institutions and the media, situational questions about public governance drivers of trust, and modules on satisfaction with public services, political participation, global and intergenerational challenges, and the respondent’s background. For the regional exercise, a few additional questions were added, including on perceptions of social mobility, physical security and crime, experience of adverse situations, or judicial independence, among others (see Annex B). The questions related to trust levels and drivers use a 0-10 response scale, and an option to answer ‘do not know’.

Public officials from participating countries, along with representatives from National Statistical Offices and partner international organisations (including the IDB, CAF, and GIZ) have led the development of the survey questionnaire and oversaw the survey implementation and analysis.

Source: https://legalinstruments.oecd.org/en/instruments/OECD-LEGAL-0484

In addition to presenting survey results on a biannual basis, the OECD has begun tracking how governments are using these findings to inform and support their public policies. This initiative builds on the 2021 and 2023 waves of the OECD Trust Survey, as well as on in-depth country studies on the drivers of public trust. Considering that recovering and reinforcing trust in public institutions is a common challenge worldwide, the main objective of the Global Trust Survey Project is to continue to provide evidence-based guidance and support to the global dialogue on trust and democracy. It does so by sharing good practices among OECD and non-OECD member countries and fostering international collaboration on trust-building initiatives (Box 2). Throughout this report, relevant initiatives being implemented by regional leaders in key policy areas will also be highlighted in corresponding chapters. These may serve as useful references for other countries in the region, particularly where there are similarities not only in challenges faced, but also in institutional settings, other socio-economic indicators, or cultural aspects.

Box 2. Selected country initiatives using data and results of the OECD Trust Survey

Governments are increasingly using the results of the OECD Trust Survey to guide their public policies. While these examples present different initiatives supported by data to enhance trust, they do not cover evaluations of the effects of the interventions.

In Chile, the Ministry of Finance-led 2022-2026 Modernisation of the State Agenda was informed by the OECD Framework on Drivers of Trust. The agenda’s main objective is to regain trust in and legitimacy of government institutions, and it includes 30 specific initiatives to strengthen government competence and promote government values, related to public employment.”, improving the delivery of people-centred public services, strengthening the capacities of local and regional governments, or adapting the state to the digital era.  

Following the results of the in-depth trust study, New Zealand's government continues to monitor trust determinants among different population groups. The country’s Kiwis Count survey also measures people’s trust and confidence in a broad range of public services. Similarly, Colombia has used Trust Survey data as inputs to monitor indicators for its National Development Strategy. In other countries, such as Mexico and Sweden, trust in the justice system and several measures related to the 2021 Trust Survey were reported to different public institutions, including the Mexican Federal Cabinet for Public Safety and the National Commission for Superior Courts of Justice in Mexico, and the national parliament in Sweden. 

Brazil’s government used data collected in occasion the in-depth study to develop its Integrity and Anti-Corruption Plan 2025–2027. The plan outlines the federal government’s multi-year strategy to combat corruption and promote integrity across both the public and private sectors. It includes several actions aligned with OECD-recommended integrity principles aimed at strengthening trust in institutions, such as “strengthening the institutional capacity of federal executive bodies and entities to monitor the quality of public resource use and public policies” (Objective 1.4).

Norway formed a committee of state secretaries and group involving all ministries to improve coordination around trust in the administrations. Along these lines, Finland created a cross-government working group to implement OECD Trust Survey recommendations and identify areas for further work. Beyond intragovernmental coordination, in Portugal, an institutional framework is being developed for decision-makers and the scientific system to enhance trust.

Considering results of the in-depth country study, Finland institutionalised national dialogues following the model of “Lockdown Dialogues” held during the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, Latvia organised several trainings for “public dialogue’s facilitators”, and in August 2023, the State Chancellery launched a series of national discussions with constituents on the issue of trust, following the Finnish model. Ireland leveraged survey findings to tailor their initiatives to the specific needs and concerns of different population groups. Lower levels of trust among youth led the government to the establishment of youth assemblies to inform government policies on issues such as artificial intelligence or the environment. The Irish government also targeted young people in its public consultation to improve the development of digital public services by partnering with voluntary organisations.

Source: (OECD, 2025[14]; OECD, 2024[1])

This report is organised into five chapters that illustrate the main trends, challenges, and drivers of trust in public institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean. It also offers insights into the gap between Latin Americans' democratic expectations and their perceptions of how institutions and political processes function. The first chapter presents the context and current concerns for Latin Americans and offers an overview of levels of trust across public institutions. It also highlights the public governance areas in which improved perceptions could yield the most benefits for trust in national and local governments, and the national civil service in LAC countries. Chapter 2 presents the levels of trust across population groups. Chapters 3 and 4 discuss people’s perceptions of their day-to-day interactions with public institutions and of government decision making on complex policy issues, respectively. These chapters also draw on comparisons with OECD countries’ experiences, identifying specific regional challenges and opportunities for improvement. The final chapter provides evidence on how the information and communication environment in Latin America can affect perceptions of and trust in public institutions. As such, it also lays the groundwork for a comprehensive whole-of-society reflection on how to strengthen trust and reinforce democratic governance.

References

[10] Acemoglu, D. and J. Robinson (2012), Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty, Crown, New York.

[7] Algan, Y. and P. Cahuc (2013), “Trust, growth and well-being: New evidence and policy implications”, No. 7464, IZA Discussion Paper.

[8] Brezzi, M. et al. (2021), “An updated OECD framework on drivers of trust in public institutions to meet current and future challenges”, OECD Working Papers on Public Governance, No. 48, OECD, Paris.

[9] Fukuyama, F. (1995), Trust : the social virtues and the creation of prosperity., Free Press, New York.

[11] Keefer, P. and C. Scartascini (eds.) (2022), Trust: The Key to Social Cohesion and Growth in Latin America and the Caribbean, Inter-American Development Bank, https://doi.org/10.18235/0003792.

[12] Latinobarometro (2024), Informe 2024. LA DEMOCRACIA RESILIENTE, Latinobarometro, Santiago de Chile.

[14] OECD (2025), Building Trust in Action: Learning from Countries’ Experiences. Background document for the Working Lunch on the same theme at the OECD Global Forum on Building Trust and Reinforcing Democracy, OECD.

[2] OECD (2025), OECD Economic Outlook, Volume 2025 Issue 1: Tackling Uncertainty, Reviving Growth, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/83363382-en.

[3] OECD (2024), Government at a Glance: Latin America and the Caribbean 2024, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/4abdba16-en.

[1] OECD (2024), OECD Survey on Drivers of Trust in Public Institutions – 2024 Results: Building Trust in a Complex Policy Environment, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/9a20554b-en.

[4] OECD et al. (2024), Latin American Economic Outlook 2024: Financing Sustainable Development, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/c437947f-en.

[5] Putnam, R. (1993), Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy, Princeton University Pres, Princeton, New Jersey.

[6] Rothstein, B. (2011), The Quality of Government CORRUPTION, SOCIAL TRUST, AND INEQUALITY IN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE, University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

[13] Welp, Y. (2022), The will of the people. Populism and Citizen Participation in Latin America, de Gruyter, Berlin.

[15] World Meteorological Organisation (2025), State of the Climate in Latin America and the Caribbean 2024. No. 1367, WMO, Geneva.

Note

← 1.  Approved by the Public Governance Committee and the OECD Council in October 2024, the Global Trust Survey Project opens the door to participation in the development and implementation of the OECD Trust Survey to democratic non-OECD countries. The creation of the Project reflects the fact that democratic countries within and outside of the OECD face common challenges and have much to learn from one another in terms of trust-enhancing interventions and policies.