MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Top marks for Kirchner and Uribe

Argentina's Nestor Kirchner and Colombia's Alvaro Uribe are the Latinamerican presidents with the best performance record in 2004 according to the latest opinion poll from the Ibero-American Governance Barometer which covers 17 countries.

With 72% and 71% good and very good approval Mr. Kirchner and Mr. Uribe top the list followed by Chile's Ricardo Lagos with 63%. At the end of the list are Peruvian president Alejandro Toledo and Uruguayan president Jorge Batlle with 6% and 7%.

As to the main concern of the population of the 17 countries polled, unemployment with 31% ranks first; corruption and the economy figure 20%; security 9%; health 6%; instability and lack of confidence 5% and finally education and terrorism below 5% close the list.

A majority of Chileans, 74%, feel the country is in the right track; closely behind are the Argentines with 71%; Colombians 57%; Guatemala 53% and Brazilians with 52%.

Peruvians and Ecuadorians are the least satisfied with 15% and 18%.

As to economic optimism Chileans and Argentines with a reading of 88% are top of the list, and they are also the most confident about next year.

Middle of the ranking figure Uruguayans, Porto Ricans and Paraguayans with 77% and last of all, Venezuelans with 59%.

As to the institutions most trustworthy, in seven of the 17 countries, the Church tops the list. Those countries are Bolivia, Brazil, Guatemala, Panama, Peru, Dominican Republic and Venezuela.

The public education system is the most respected institution in Uruguay, Costa Rica, Colombia and Mexico. Chileans and Portuguese deposit their trust in banks; Paraguay in the press; television news reporting in Ecuador and the Armed Forces in Puerto Rico.

Almost unanimously in the seventeen countries, political parties and Congress figure among the least trusted.

The poll interviewed 8,401 people above 18 years in the seventeen countries during April, May 2004.