Chart: How Popular Are Latin America's Presidents in 2024?

It’s not easy to be an incumbent president in Latin America. Over the past several years, many in the region saw their popularity plummet amid pandemic lockdowns, low growth, inflation, and rising concerns about insecurity. Incumbent after incumbent lost reelection—or chose to not run. In 2023, candidates who bucked the established political system won big in countries like Argentina and Guatemala.

But 2024 may see a shift in Latin America’s electoral trends. Several of the region’s most popular leaders, such as El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele and the Dominican Republic’s Luis Abinader, are running for reelection. Another popular president, Mexico’s Andrés Manuel López Obrador, cannot run for reelection, but the candidate for his party, Claudia Sheinbaum, holds a double-digit poll lead.

With that in mind—and as the region prepares for a new round of votes—AS/COA checks in on current presidents’ popularity across Latin America.