By opening the ever-escalating debate regarding Latin America's underdeveloped status and cloaking the seriousness of the situation with wit and humor the <I>Guide to the Perfect Latin American Idiot</I> reached number one status on the nonfiction bestseller lists in many countries in Latin America. It reveals the connection between economic success and cultural values-attitudes toward work education health care and community-and the consequence of the Latin American people retaining or evolving these values.