President Claudia Sheinbaum concludes her first year in office with the highest approval ratings ever recorded in Mexico, according to a recent Banamex report.
Drawing on data from 10 different polling firms published in August, the report shows Sheinbaum averaging 73% approval nationwide, with only 23% disapproval, giving her a net balance of +50 percentage points.
This figure represents not only a recovery after four consecutive months of declining approval but also a historic record when compared to the trajectories of her predecessors. The analysis notes that in similar periods of their presidencies, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Vicente Fox, and Felipe Calderón registered around 60% approval, while Enrique Peña Nieto and Ernesto Zedillo fell below the 50% threshold.
The Banamex review highlights a wide gap across polling methodologies. Among face-to-face surveys conducted in households, Buendía & Márquez reported 70% approval, Mitofsky 71%, and Enkoll 79%. Telephone polls yielded stronger figures: El Financiero and QM/El Heraldo both reported 74% approval, while Factométrica recorded 82%.
At the lower end, Massive Caller, which uses automated “robocall” surveys, registered only 57% approval. Online surveys also varied: TResearch reported 77% approval and AtlasIntel 64%. Meanwhile, a social media-based survey conducted by Algoritmo showed Sheinbaum at 78% approval with only 10% disapproval.
Despite these variations, the overall August average stood at 73%, with Banamex stressing that the president’s popularity remains significantly higher than the approval of her government’s performance, which is trending slightly downward.
The report points out that while Sheinbaum herself is viewed very positively, assessments of her government’s results are more critical. According to Buendía & Márquez, 77% of respondents believe she is well-prepared to govern, 75% consider her honest, 74% say she has the strength of character to lead, and 73% feel she understands people’s concerns.
However, when asked about the state of the country, numbers drop: 61% believe Mexico is better under Sheinbaum, while 36% think it is worse; 57% feel the country is on the right path, while 31% believe it is not.
Polling by El Financiero and Enkoll shows that citizens’ approve of her social programs, economic policies, and public security efforts but express dissatisfaction with the fight against corruption, organized crime, and the handling of relations with the United States.
Banamex notes that Sheinbaum’s approval benefits from the public’s strong support for direct social transfer programs, consistently highlighted by over 40% of respondents as her greatest achievement. The President’s handling of bilateral relations with Washington has also boosted her standing.
When former U.S. President Donald Trump threatened unilateral military intervention in Mexico earlier this year to combat drug cartels, Sheinbaum firmly rejected any interference. This stance, perceived as a defense of national sovereignty, resonated with the Mexican public. Surveys from Enkoll and El Financiero confirm that more than 65% of Mexicans oppose foreign military involvement in domestic security matters.
Interestingly, while López Obrador’s presidency saw a sharp decline in approval following the controversial release of Ovidio Guzmán in 2019, Sheinbaum has avoided such high-profile crises. Despite ongoing corruption scandals involving figures close to the previous administration, the public appears to distinguish between Sheinbaum and the broader Morena political movement.
According to Banamex, Sheinbaum now holds a place in the record books: she is the best-rated Mexican president at the one-year mark since comparable data began under Ernesto Zedillo. Her current popularity of over 70% sets a new standard, surpassing even the early months of López Obrador’s presidency, when he reached 82% before a steep decline.
“Sheinbaum continues to capitalize on a narrative of continuity with the Fourth Transformation project while maintaining her own credibility with the public,” the report concludes.
Related: Mexico, Respected Worldwide: Sheinbaum Highlights Achievements in Trade, Security, and Migration
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