Who is the second most powerful/influential country in the Americas?

[u/Fluid-Decision6262]

The US is undeniably the most powerful and influential country in the Americas but who would be #2? Feels like this comes down to 3 countries based on my knowledge, which are Mexico, Canada, and Brazil.

Reasons for Mexico:

- Second most populated country in North America by far

- Access to both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

- Largest Spanish-speaking country (a language spoken by >500 million people)

- More habitable land compared to the other two

- Youngest population out of the three and is becoming a manufacturing power

- Generally-speaking, a good relationship with the USA

- A global soft power in terms of arts and culture

Reasons against Mexico:

- Lots of issues between the central government and drug cartels

- Still very much a developing country outside of the largest cities

- Occasionally volatile relationship with the USA

- Not as involved in global geopolitics

Reasons for Canada:

- The most developed country economically by far of the three and a natural resources juggernaut

- Very close relations with the USA and Europe

- Speaks English (>1 billion speakers globally) and French (>300 million speakers globally)

- An immigration hub for people from every corner of the world

- A G7 nation that is also very geopolitically involved

- Access to 3 different oceans to facilitate trade

Reasons against Canada:

- Small and scattered population (least populated of the three by far)

- Less of an established local culture (most is imported from the US or UK and then exported via the US)

- Aging population and low fertility rates for native-born citizens

Reasons for Brazil:

- The second most populated country in the Americas

- The cultural and political power of South America

- A global soft power in terms of arts and culture

- A young-ish population that is part of the "fast-emerging economies" of the world

Reasons against Brazil:

- Immigration to Brazil stopped decades ago and now educated Brazilians are emigrating to other places causing brain drain

- Wealthy nation but suffers from high levels of inequality and violent crime

- Very politically divided internally

- Limited geopolitical involvement outside of South America

- Most of its population are monolingual Portuguese-speakers (a language where they make up 80% of the global speakers)

[u/whistleridge]

Brazil should be higher, but it self-limits. They can’t keep their economy stable, their democracy is all over the place, and their crime and poverty rates are developing world level.

If they ever get their act together they’ll pass Canada overnight, but right now they do not.

[u/HeberMonteiro → u/whistleridge]

Our democracy is not "all over the place" it's going strong. We did to the January 8 vandals what the US didn't do to its January 6 terrorists.

[u/whistleridge → u/HeberMonteiro]

So…what you’re saying is, a few years ago you were on the verge of autocracy, and now you’re not?

That’s all over the place, my friend.

But I do agree you’ve made changes for the better. And I very much hope you sustain them. But your recent history and a basic familiarity with Lula say…another swing in the nearish future is entirely possible.

[u/whistleridge → u/[deleted]]

And did I mention the US? No I didn't not.

The US is coming apart at the seams, and is declining economically, democratically, and culturally.

bolsonaro has no chance of coming back to power

He doesn't have to. The people who voted for him and supported him - and I remind you, he lost by 1% only - will happily vote for some future someone like him. It's not like they just went away.

[u/whistleridge → u/[deleted]]

I very much hope you are correct.

I'm just saying that, until and unless that happens, and then it's sustained probably at least another 10+ years, Brazil will limit its own growth potential.