Friday Polls

Excelsior hides a bunch of crazy facts in a series of security polls today. Only 43 percent of the population is aware of the momentous (or maybe not) security pact signed last week. Sixty-three percent of respondents had a favorable opinion of the army, the only security institution above the Mendoza line. A total of 77 percent said the security situation is bad or very bad, the second highest total on record (it hit 88 percent in '99). Fifty-two percent said that the government has been overtaken by organized crime. Despite that, 64 percent still expressed a favorable opinion of Calderón's security policies. This divergence has emerged before, and it reflects an interesting characteristic of the Mexican polling base (i.e. Mexicans): they have separated their opinion of Calderón from their desperation about the insecurity.