A leader can be deeply unpopular internationally yet command strong domestic support
Across Latin America, a new round of presidential approval surveys reveals the uneven terrain of democratic legitimacy: El Salvador's Nayib Bukele stands at 69 percent public favor, while Colombia's Gustavo Petro registers 36.5 percent, placing him in a cautious middle ground. The numbers, compiled by regional polling firm CB Global Data, do not simply measure popularity — they reflect the complex bargains citizens make between security, governance, and trust. In a region where approval can evaporate quickly, the distance between these two leaders invites reflection on what voters are truly asking of those who govern them.
- A striking approval gap has opened across Latin America, with Bukele's 69% standing nearly double Petro's 36.5%, exposing how differently citizens in the region are experiencing their governments.
- Bukele's high ratings persist despite international criticism of his security crackdowns and consolidation of executive power, suggesting Salvadoran voters are prioritizing tangible results over institutional concerns.
- Petro occupies a precarious middle tier — not in freefall, but without the momentum of regional peers like Mexico's Sheinbaum or the Dominican Republic's Abinader, whose strong ratings signal durable citizen backing.
- Colombia's president has pursued ambitious reforms and peace negotiations, yet has failed to convert policy ambition into popular enthusiasm, leaving his approval in a moderate band with no clear upward trajectory.
- CB Global Data's comparative methodology makes these figures a standard regional reference, and the current snapshot places Petro at a crossroads where the coming months could push his standing in either direction.
Una nueva medición de CB Global Data revela una brecha creciente entre los presidentes más y menos populares de América Latina. Nayib Bukele lidera el ranking con un 69% de imagen positiva entre los salvadoreños, manteniéndose en lo más alto de las mediciones durante varios ciclos consecutivos. No está solo en la cima: Claudia Sheinbaum en México y Luis Abinader en República Dominicana también registran altos niveles de aprobación, lo que sugiere que algunos líderes han logrado construir un respaldo ciudadano sólido pese a las presiones económicas y de seguridad que suelen erosionar el apoyo presidencial en la región.
Gustavo Petro, en cambio, se sitúa en el 36.5%, menos de la mitad del índice de Bukele, en una zona intermedia que refleja legitimidad popular parcial pero también un escepticismo persistente. Su aprobación ha oscilado en una banda moderada durante sus primeros años de gobierno, un período marcado por propuestas de reforma ambiciosas, negociaciones con grupos armados y una considerable fricción política, sin que nada de ello se haya traducido en entusiasmo ciudadano comparable al de sus pares regionales.
Lo que hace llamativa la posición de Bukele es el contexto en que se sostiene: sus políticas de seguridad agresivas y la concentración del poder ejecutivo han generado críticas internacionales y preocupaciones de organismos de derechos humanos. Sin embargo, entre los votantes salvadoreños, la percepción de resultados concretos parece pesar más que las inquietudes sobre los contrapesos institucionales. El contraste con Petro ilustra un patrón más amplio: en América Latina contemporánea, la aprobación ciudadana no necesariamente coincide con las normas democráticas ni con el reconocimiento internacional.
Para Colombia, el 36.5% es un punto de partida desde el cual el movimiento es posible en cualquier dirección. La medición captura un momento; no anticipa el rumbo.
A new snapshot of presidential approval across Latin America shows a widening gulf between the region's most and least popular leaders. El Salvador's Nayib Bukele commands 69 percent positive regard among his citizens, according to measurements released by CB Global Data, a regional polling firm that tracks public sentiment toward heads of state across the continent. Colombia's Gustavo Petro, by contrast, registers at 36.5 percent—less than half of Bukele's standing, and a figure that places him squarely in the middle tier of regional leaders rather than among the continent's most trusted figures.
The gap is instructive. Bukele has consolidated what appears to be durable public support, holding steady at the top of CB Global Data's rankings across multiple measurement cycles. He is not alone at the summit: Mexico's Claudia Sheinbaum and the Dominican Republic's Luis Abinader also command strong approval ratings, suggesting that certain leaders have managed to build or maintain genuine citizen backing despite the economic and security pressures that typically erode presidential standing in Latin America.
Petro's position tells a different story. Over recent months, his approval has fluctuated within a moderate band, neither collapsing nor recovering substantially. At 36.5 percent, he sits well below the region's top performers but not in the basement either—a precarious middle ground where a president retains some popular legitimacy but faces persistent skepticism. The measurement reflects the Colombian leader's first years in office, a period marked by ambitious policy proposals and significant political friction.
CB Global Data's methodology involves periodic surveys of citizen perception across multiple Latin American countries, allowing for direct comparison of how different populations view their leaders. The firm tracks both positive and negative sentiment, creating a fuller picture than approval alone might suggest. These measurements have become a standard reference point for understanding the political health of the region's democracies.
What makes Bukele's sustained high rating noteworthy is the context in which it has been achieved. El Salvador's president has pursued aggressive security policies and consolidated executive power in ways that have drawn international scrutiny and concern from human rights organizations. Yet his approval remains robust, suggesting that among Salvadoran voters, security gains and a perception of decisive action outweigh concerns about institutional checks and balances. Petro, by contrast, has pursued a more traditional leftist agenda—negotiating with armed groups, attempting to reshape fiscal policy, addressing inequality—yet has not translated these efforts into comparable public enthusiasm.
The rankings underscore a broader pattern in contemporary Latin America: citizen approval does not necessarily correlate with democratic norms or international standing. A leader can be deeply unpopular with international observers and media while commanding strong domestic support, or vice versa. Bukele's position at the top of CB Global Data's list reflects the preferences of Salvadoran voters, not a judgment about his governance model or its sustainability.
For Petro and Colombia, the 36.5 percent figure represents a baseline from which movement is possible in either direction. The coming months will reveal whether his approval stabilizes, climbs toward the levels of regional leaders like Sheinbaum and Abinader, or continues to drift downward. The measurement captures a moment; it does not predict the trajectory.
Citações Notáveis
Bukele has consolidated what appears to be durable public support, holding steady at the top of CB Global Data's rankings across multiple measurement cycles— CB Global Data polling analysis
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
Why does Bukele's approval sit so far above Petro's? Are Salvadorans simply happier with their government?
It's not quite that simple. Bukele has pursued security policies that many Salvadorans credit with reducing gang violence—a visceral, daily concern. Petro inherited a different set of expectations and has faced resistance to his agenda from Congress and business sectors.
But doesn't Bukele's approach raise red flags about democracy itself?
It does internationally, yes. But CB Global Data measures citizen sentiment, not institutional health. Salvadorans may approve of his methods precisely because they prioritize security over procedural concerns.
So approval and legitimacy are different things?
Exactly. Bukele has approval. Whether that translates to durable legitimacy—the kind that survives economic downturns or security setbacks—is an open question.
Where does Petro go from here at 36.5 percent?
He's in unstable territory. Not so low that he's politically finished, but not high enough to claim a mandate. His next moves on fiscal policy and peace negotiations will likely shift the needle.
Is there a lesson here for other Latin American leaders?
Perhaps that security and economic performance matter more to voters right now than democratic procedure. That's not a comfortable lesson for anyone invested in institutional strength.