(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Public support for Rafael Correa fell slightly in Ecuador, according to a poll by Cedatos/Gallup. 71 per cent of respondents in the South American nation approve of their president’s performance, down two points in a month.
Support is dramatically low for the country’s National Congress, at eight per cent. In January, the legislative body was approved by just 13 per cent of respondents.
Correa, a former finance minister, ran for president as an independent leftist under the Alliance Country (AP) banner. In November 2006, Correa defeated Álvaro Noboa of the Institutional Renewal Party of National Action (PRIAN) in a run-off with 56.69 per cent of the vote. He officially took over as Ecuador’s head of state on Jan. 15. Correa’s party nominated no candidates to the National Congress.
In his inauguration speech, Correa expressed his support for changing the country’s Constitution. On Feb 13, the National Congress approved to schedule a nationwide referendum for Apr. 15. In this ballot, the people will be asked if they want the country’s Constitution to be re-written. If a majority votes in favour of forming a Constituent Assembly, a second vote—where Ecuadorians will elect the members of this legislative body—will take place within eight days.
On Feb. 17, Correa said he will resign from the presidency if his supporters fail to win control of the Constituent Assembly, adding, "My heart is not in power, it’s in service. If I am not going to be able to do that and be one more of a tonne of traitors and impostors that we have had in the presidency, believe me, I would rather go home."
Polling Data
Do you approve or disapprove of Rafael Correa’s performance as president?
| | Feb. 2007 | Jan. 2007 |
| Approve | 71% | 73% |
| Disapprove | 25% | 13% |
| No opinion | 5% | 14% |
Do you approve or disapprove of the performance of Congress?
| | Feb. 2007 | Jan. 2007 |
| Approve | 8% | 13% |
| Disapprove | 90% | 68% |
| No opinion | 2% | 19% |
Source: Cedatos/Gallup
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 1,633 Ecuadorian adults, conducted from Feb. 12 to Feb. 15, 2007. Margin of error is 5 per cent.
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