Salvadorans pessimistic about the country

Every year at this time, the Institute for Public Opinion at the University of Central America releases poll results concerning Salvadorans evaluations of the state of their country and intentions to vote if it is a voting year.    This year's poll results show a population which is unhappy with the current situation and does not see a government which is improving matters.    The results do not bode well for the governing FMLN in upcoming elections.

Here are some of the polling results.

• 62.4% believe crime has increased compared to the prior year.
• 54.6% believe that poverty increased in 2017.
• 59.9% are not interested or only slightly interested in voting in national elections on March 4.
• Only 22.7% have any confidence in the upcoming electoral process.
• 77.2% believe government security policies are having little or no effect on crime
• 67.1% believe President Salvador Sánchez Cerén is governing badly, a number which has steadily increased during his administration.

In the upcoming elections for deputies to the National Assembly,  30.8% intend to vote for right-wing ARENA deputies and only 22.7% intend to vote for the left-wing FMLN.  39% of those polled, however, were undecided or refused to answer.