Martinelli popularity continues free fall – poll

President Ricardo Martinelli, who swept into office with more than 60 percent of the vote in 2009 has plummeted in the polls with his popularity more than halved.

Under the headline “Martinelli from love to Hate”  La Estrella  wrote on Thursday, May  3: “The levels of popularity that led to the  entrepreneur presidential chair, have dropped more than half, as reflected in the latest Ipsos poll conducted for  to the Telemetro Report of Medcom and La Estrella.

“In mid-April,  at least 36% of Panamanians who voted for Martinelli in 2009, now do not feel he has fulfilled  expectations.”

The declining status of Martinelli is reflected not only in Panama, but also internationally says Estrella. Mexican pollster Mitofsky, reported that the Panamanian president is at the penultimate level in the popularity list of heads of state of Latin America.

Political analyst Renato Pereira, the downward trend in the acceptance of the  "government of change ', can be attributed to two aspects: the power' deterioration  and distrust aroused in the electorate .

Meanwhile, the former President of the Panamanian Association of Business Executives (APEDE), Ruben Castillo, agreed with Pereira that 'governments always suffer a deterioration over the years'. However he warned ofthe dominant political patronage.

One Sunday night, exactly three years ago, the Alliance for Change (Democratic Change, Panameñista Molirena and Patriotic Union),  celebrated its  election victory.

But setbacks like the breaking of the alliance of government hit Ricardo Martinelli. The largest party in the alliance on May 3, 2009, is now one of the harshest critics of the ruling.

Also a faction of Molirena, which is also part of the alliance, harshly criticized the government style of Martinelli.

Although  management evaluations tend to be negative membership of the CD has grown, with frequent reports that bribes and incentives have played a role in recruitment and in getting members of the opposition to change horses and make ther CD, on paperm the main political force in the country.