Credit:UNESCO

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Mexican president Felipe Calderón is maintaining a high level of public support, according to a poll by Consulta Mitofsky. 58.8 per cent of respondents agree with the way Calderón is leading the country, practically unchanged since July.

Mexican voters chose their new president in July 2006. Official results placed Calderón of the conservative National Action Party (PAN) as the winner with 36.68 per cent of all cast ballots. Calderón—a former energy secretary—took over as Mexico’s head of state in December. During his campaign, he vowed to combat illicit drug trafficking and drug-related crime, as well as to boost Mexico’s economy.

Criminal activity has been a predicament in Mexico for the past few years. According to official National Public Security office statistics, at least 8,416 kidnappings have taken place between 1994 and March 2008. Mexico City has become infamous over the past few years for its "express kidnappings"—a form of quick hostage-taking in which victims are forced to vacate their bank accounts from automated tellers at gunpoint.

Last month, Mexico was shaken by the death of Fernando Martí, the 14-year-old son of well-known business man Alejandro Martí, who had been kidnapped in June. Investigators have suggested that the perpetrators were police officers. Calderón called an emergency meeting with the country’s 32 governors to draft specific policies to combat a rising number of kidnappings.

On Aug. 30, hundreds of thousands of people marched on the streets of Mexico City and other municipalities demanding public safety and condemning the practice of kidnapping for ransom. One of the chants heard during the protest called for "security," and told the president: "If you can’t [do it], resign!"

Polling Data

Do you agree or disagree with the way Felipe Calderón is governing?

Source: Consulta Mitofsky
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 1,000 Mexican adults, conducted from Aug. 15 to Aug. 19, 2008. Margin of error is 3.5 per cent.

Archive Search

Over 19,600 Polls
Search the Angus Reid Global Monitor Polls & Research archive.