MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguayan solid support for democracy.

Uruguay has the highest support for democracy and greater rejection to “strong hand” tactics in Latinamerica according to the latest public opinion poll covering 18 countries of the region.

Latinbarometer with offices in Chile has for the last nine years done annual public opinion surveys in 18 regional countries totalling a population of 480 million. The latest 2004 edition involved 19,605 interviews between May 21 and June 29.

The 2004 report shows ample support for democracy in the region but a significant proportion are prepared to sacrifice quotas of freedom to enhance a "strong hand".

Actually 59% support democracy and 15% are willing to accept different degrees of authoritarian options. But satisfaction with democracy is only 29% and support to presidential performance ranges between 75% in Colombia and 8% in Peru.

In Uruguay support for democracy stands a solid 80% and has only suffered a two points variation since the regional poll was began in 1996.

Regarding Chile, Marta Lagos chief consultant of Latinbarometer says results are confusing since it is one of the countries with better economic performance and growth, but support for democracy varies between 54 and 57%.

Chilean President Ricardo has a strong standing 64%, only second to Colombian president Alvaro Uribe 75% and Argentina's Nestor Kirchner with 73%.

In Peru democracy support has dropped from 52% in 2003 to 45% this year, and 18 points since 1996, but this can be attributed to the poor performance of President Alejandro Toledo whose standing is below 8%.

Regarding support for a strong hand military option in Paraguay only 42% are against it; 47% in Peru and Honduras, and 48% in El Salvador.

In the other fourteen countries over half the population would never endorse a "military option", ranging from 54% in Guatemala, Brazil 56%, 58% in Colombia, 64% in Chile; 70% in Nicaragua to 72% in Uruguay and 89% in Costa Rica. But in most of these countries strong "law and order" tactics are seen as positive with the exception of Brazil and even less Uruguay.

Central American countries, 85% of Paraguayans, 76% of Chileans, 72% of Colombians, 70% of Peruvians and 69% of Argentines openly favor strong "law and order".

Chile on the other hand is the country less prone to corruption practices in the region even when 70% believe the country is ruled for the benefit of powerful interests. Actually 45% of interviewed Chileans admit that "corruption will never be eliminated", but only 22% believe a Chilean policeman can be bribed; 20% a judge and 19% a cabinet minister. On the opposite ranking stands Mexico with 65%, 58% and 56%.

Finally when defining Chile the report indicates that, "it's a country where institutions function but still has to overcome the split in half caused by the military regime, with poor civic culture and non consensus support of democracy".

"Politics in Chile matters because it's divisive, and perpetuates constitutional enclaves, which are a legacy of the military regime".