Trump’s return to the White House is causing an earthquake that periodically shakes the international stage. The tycoon has Mexico among his favorite targets, accusing it of being the back door for Chinese imports, of failing to contain migration crossing the Rio Grande, and of flooding its streets with fentanyl, the powerful opioid that has caused a deadly epidemic in the US, increasingly fueling the ogre of organized crime.
As punishment—and as a negotiating strategy—he is hitting Mexico, among other countries, with protectionist policies embodied in the imposition of harsh tariffs if they don’t comply. President Claudia Sheinbaum has managed, so far, to dodge some, but not all.
The president is showing a steady nerve in negotiations, combining messages of firmness in the face of the tycoon’s attacks with concrete actions aimed at defusing tensions and even hints of a willingness to cooperate. A strategy that is strengthening her image within the country. 82% of Mexicans approve of her performance, according to a survey conducted by Enkoll.
The survey reflects the general perception of the public six months into her term and in the midst of the crisis with the United States. The results improve on those obtained upon her coming to power (76%) and those of the last poll in January (80%), just after Trump took office. The Mexican president achieves high approval ratings across all age groups, dropping only slightly in the 18-24 and 45-54 age groups. By educational level, the level of support drops to 70% for respondents with higher education and postgraduate degrees.
When specifically asked how much they trust Sheinbaum’s handling of the negotiations with Trump, 68% responded positively, while 28% believe she inspires little or no confidence. Mexicans support their president in this regard, although with a somewhat lower intensity than in January, the immediately preceding survey, when the result was seven points higher, at 75%.
In fact, although the majority appreciates the strategy and results obtained in the negotiations with Trump, almost the same percentage does not attribute the successive extensions granted by the Republican magnate to Sheinbaum. 62% believe that the US president’s plans are attributable to the postponement of the tariffs until April 2. While only 28% believe it is Sheinbaum’s fault.
The majority of respondents, 67%, also believe that, overall, the country’s situation has improved since Sheinbaum came to power. This confidence pattern remains worse than, as with other currencies, it has slightly decreased from 71% in January. Among the areas most valued as a change for the better were social support (89%) and women’s rights (84%), both slightly higher than the previous survey. On the other hand, respondents believe the situation has worsened in terms of public safety (50%), health (35%), and the economy (35%).
