A recent poll by the Reflection, Research, and Communication Team (ERIC-SJ) has yielded results that reflect a marked rift between the Xiomara Castro administration and the Honduran people. With more than 60% of those surveyed believing that the country is on the wrong track, the poll illustrates a sustained deterioration in the public’s perception of the current administration.
The analysis reveals a widespread dissatisfaction with the president’s actions and highlights the most pressing concerns for citizens: ongoing insecurity, entrenched poverty, enduring joblessness, and a governance style seen as excessively ideological. These factors create a challenging scenario for the ruling party, which is encountering increasing calls for political transformation.
Security, poverty, and authoritarianism: the main points of tension
The absence of tangible advancements in combating organized crime is a primary source of dissatisfaction. Ongoing violence and the infiltration of criminal groups into government bodies are issues that still lack definitive solutions. Additionally, the economy does not provide alternatives for countless Hondurans, many of whom live in poverty or are without stable employment.
Another significant outcome from the ERIC-SJ study is the increasing concern about the backsliding of democracy. Almost 50% of participants worry that liberties are being curtailed, while 54% think the nation is shifting towards authoritarianism. This perspective supports recent analyses of institutional degradation and the political exploitation of state mechanisms, as reported by InSight Crime in studies concerning the judiciary.
Additionally, the management of critical topics such as the creation of the CICIH, the Koriun incident, and the contentious proposal for the Tax Justice Law has received negative evaluations from wide segments of society, who are calling for increased transparency and willingness to engage in dialogue.
Appeal for correction and unity across the nation
This growing disapproval comes amid a tense political context, with general elections scheduled for 2025. Figures such as Salvador Nasralla, who leads the polls according to a recent study by a US firm, could capitalize on the ruling party’s decline if the president fails to reverse the negative perception of her government.
Meanwhile, the people of Honduras keep showing their discontent through these surveys, frustrated by the absence of outcomes and a comprehensive vision for an inclusive nation. In this context, the urgent task for Xiomara Castro’s administration is not simply to address the criticisms but also to restore its credibility before the divide with the public becomes unbridgeable.
