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Latin American President's League Table

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Nothing beats the clarity of good old-fashioned list...

So here's an interesting one I stumbled across recently - by means of Greg Week's Latin American blog, 'Two Weeks Notice'. It lists the current popularity ratings amongst Latin American Presidents.

84% Álvaro Uribe, Colombia (3/08)


61% Felipe Calderón, Mexico (5/08)


55% Antonio Saca, El Salvador (5/08)


55% Evo Morales, Bolivia (5/08)


55% Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, Brazil (3/08)


54% Hugo Chávez, Venezuela (4/08)


53% Rafael Correa, Ecuador (6/08)


51% Martín Torrijos, Panama (4/08)


49% Álvaro Colom, Guatemala (3/08)


45% Tabaré Vázquez, Uruguay (3/08)


44% Oscar Arias, Costa Rica (4/08)


44% Michelle Bachelet, Chile (6/08)


38% Manuel Zelaya, Honduras (2/08)


34% Stephen Harper, Canada (3/08)


32% Alan García, Peru (6/08)


30% George W. Bush, United States (6/08)


26% Cristina Fernández, Argentina (5/08)


21% Daniel Ortega, Nicaragua (2/08)

5% Nicanor Duarte, Paraguay (3/08)

I'm not too sure as to how much we can read into this. I guess it's no surprise that Colombia's Uribe tops the list. I was chatting with a Colombian guy the other week, and having asked him whether he thought Uribe was good or bad for the country he responded, "he's neither good nor bad...he's AMAZING!" His effectiveness in tackling the FARC guerillas, keeping the economy relatively stable and taking hed-on the likes of Chavez and Correa, no doubt playing a part in his popularity. Still I'm not to sure international human right's groups will be to keen in praising his presidency.

Other than that, the Presidents of the "New Left" (Chavez, Correa, Lula, Morales) all seem to be doing alright, though I'm sure they must be done from where they would have been this time last year. And then there's poor old Cristina Fernandez who really is making a dog's dinner out of the popularity she had inherited over from her husband, Nestor Kirchner.
thiginbotham

3 responses // Latin American President's League Table

  • I met Uribe; he's a sharp fellow. To be able to take the reigns of a volatile country like Colombia and be effective is a massive accomplishment. He and George should have a little chat.
    CicatrizJCP
  • And I bet you tonight's news - the rescue of Ingrid Betancourt - will make him even more popular. So much for Chavez's intentions of trying to talk to the FARC...
    thiginbotham
  • Brazil's presindent (Lula da Silva) has recentrly reached his hightes popularity rates ever. The country has been doing amazingly well thru the world' s crisis. The country continues growing and creating jobs, improving its educational system and reducing the illegal fires in the amazon rain forest.
    Brazil617MA

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