The urban approval rating of Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos rose two percentage points to 82% in the last month, a Gallup poll released Wednesday shows.
According to the poll, conducted in the country’s five largest cities, Colombians mostly approve of how Santos is improving relations with neighboring Venezuela.
However, the majority of interviewees are negative about the developments regarding health care, poverty, corruption, unemployment, insecurity and the cost of living.
A vast majority of the Colombians (68% vs. 29%) is in favor of a “humanitarian exchange,” favored by the FARC, but opposed by the government, that involves the swap of policemen and soldiers held by the guerrillas for rebels held in Colombian prisons.
The majority of Colombians are willing to compromise justice for peace negotiations with illegal armed groups and are willing to give up civil liberties to improve security.
The same poll also showed that of other prominent Colombians, former President Alvaro Uribe still has an approval rating of 79%, followed by national police chief Osdcar Naranjo with 74%.
The country’s least favorite people are Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, with an 88% disapproval rating, former hostage Ingrid Betancourt (84%), dismissed senator Piedad Cordoba (58%) and former Agriculture Minister Andres Felipe Arias (44%).