MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentines consider Mujica far “more honest” than Cristina Fernandez

The Giacobbe & Associates poll has Pope Francis in position 1, Mujica, 11 and Cristina, 38.

An 'honesty' ranking by Argentine pollster, Giacobbe & Associates, based on 500 names, both alive and deceased, shows the country's public opinion poor belief in the political system, with president Cristina Fernández ranked 38, fourteen positions down from a similar poll last year and behind her Uruguayan peer Jose Mujica ranked 11.

According to the third annual consecutive poll done during the months of June and July in the main urban districts of Argentina, among the ten leading and 'more honest' figures are only three alive: top of the list Pope Francis; Juan Carr organizer of a solidarity NGO in position 8 and investigative journalist, Jorge Lanata in position 10.

The rest of the ranking has in position 2, doctor René Favaloro; Mother Theresa of Calcutta, 3; Argentine independence heroes Manuel Belgrano and Jose de San Martin, 4 and 5; former Argentine president Arturo Illía, 6; Nelson Mandela, 7 and Mahatma Ghandi, 9.

In position 11 appears Uruguayan president Jose Mujica, which is certainly not encouraging for Cristina in position 38. Likewise Argentine opposition lawmakers Elisa Carrió ranked 13; Gustavo Vera, 29 and Graciela Ocaña, 31, are well ahead of Cristina Fernandez and any of her grouping in Congress.

Strangely enough, the Argentine presidential hopefuls, Julio Cobos, Mauricio Macri and Sergio Massa share the same position as Cristina Fernandez, while the prosecutor Jose Maria Campagnoli, who is investigating the Kirchner and associates family dealings and was threatened with political impeachment stands in position 15.

As to sports people, former soccer player Javier Zanetti, who has a foundation for needy children is two positions ahead of the great Lionel Messi, 19 and 21, while the controversial Diego Maradona tails in position 96.