Calderón Approval

Buendía y Laredo's new quarterly poll shows Felipe Calderón at 54 percent approval, a slight rebound from the 52 percent the same poll measured in February, which was the low point for the president.

The poll also includes some comparisons between Calderón and his predecessors. Overall, 48 percent say that Calderón is as good as or better than his predecessors, while the same number say that he is as bad as or worse than Fox, Zedillo, and the rest. Much of this lack of enthusiasm, however, reflects an ongoing disillusionment with all Mexico presidents rather than the feeling that Calderón is a political ill without precedent. Among perredistas, the most critical group, only 26 percent say he is worse than his predecessors, while 36 percent say just as bad as the rest. Among panistas, those figures are 3 and 15, respectively; among priístas, 17 and 35. Among independents, 42 percent say that he is as bad as his predecessors, while 15 percent say he is worse.