Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro kicked off his four years in office with an approval rating of 56%, according to pollster Invamer.

Petro’s initial approval rating is considerably higher than that of his predecessor Ivan Duque, whose rating was 40% after taking office in 2018.

The president’s first approval rating is considerably lower than the 65% favorability rating reported by Invamer after Petro’s June election, however.

Foreign policy

According to the pollster, 79% of the interviewees said they approved efforts by Petro and his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro to reestablish diplomatic ties between the neighbors.

This doesn’t mean that Colombians in any way approve of Venezuela’s authoritarian leader, who is rejected by 89% of people interviewed by Invamer.

A significant portion of society, 41%, said to be concerned that “Colombia could become like Venezuela.” A majority of 56% rejects this belief, however.

Some 54% of Colombians believe that Colombia foreign relations in general are improving, according to the pollster.

Peace policies

Petro has been actively promoting his flagship “Total Peace” policy, which seeks to expand an ongoing peace process that followed a 2016 deal between former President Juan Manuel Santos and the now-defunct guerrilla group FARC.

The new government also seeks to resume peace talks with guerrilla group ELN, and negotiate the demobilization and disarmament of illegal armed groups like paramilitary organization AGC.

According to Invamer, 76% of Colombians agree with Petro that negotiations provide the solution of illegal armed groups.

Some 57% said they believed that the new government would effectively implement the peace deal with the FARC, which was all ignored by Duque.

The implementation is going the right way, according to 57% of the interviewees, which is the highest level of optimism measured by Invamer since the beginning of the peace process.

Petro’s proposal to regulate drugs, a key element of the government’s security policy, can count on significantly less enthusiasm, however.

In fact, 71% of the people reject the legalization of drugs like marijuana and cocaine, for example.

Economic policies

The new government’s economic policy proposals can also count on significant resistance, according to Invamer.

Petro’s proposal to suspend the exploration for new oil and gas fields is rejected by 55%, for example.

Colombia’s economy and unemployment in particular became the main concern among Colombians in the aftermath of the coronavirus.