Sandra M. There is an even simpler explanation for the South American elite’s Anti-Americanism (or for that factor Anti-Americanism among elites elsewhere). It is, I think, formally referred to as the “narcissism of the elites”. Simply put, it is usually the elites of various groups that tend to have the biggest chips on their shoulder. Every slight and every perceived failings of their own group they encounter exaberates their feelings of inadequacy. After all they are elites of these groups! The wounded pride and indignity is often quite effectively salved with the help of fashionable and facile ideas like Anti-Americanism. Of course, as you correctly pointed out, the world’s most vociferous leftist elites in the media and academia, which also happens to be – no prizes for guessing here – American, reinforce their Anti-Americanism.
