text: why is the usa losing it's influence in south america? http://www.cepr.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=373 i don't know, can it be due to predatory economic policies?  can it be because of a history of using covery cia missions to destabilize governents and our support of right wing dictators ?  can it be because of our own political ineptitude and near sighted foreign policies? can it be becasue of the way we exploit the natural resources of countries that have corrupt governments ?  losing ?  maybe that is too optimistic an assessment.