Poll gives Lasso high approval ratings, especially for vaccine program; Abortion support is near 70 percent

As he approaches the 100-day mark of his administration, President Guillermo Lasso enjoys broad popular support, according to a survey by the Cedatos polling company. His overall approval rating stood at 73.5 percent on August 5 while his governing style and strategy received a 78.4 percent positive rating.

President Guillermo Lasso

The president’s highest rating came from his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, with 95.9 percent approval, particularly of the vaccination program. His support was lower on other issues, including employment, entrepreneurship and economic reactivation, 67.3%; combating hunger and child malnutrition, 68.6%; selection of the cabinet and management team, 65.4%; controlling crime, 37%; and controlling and prosecuting corruption,45.7%.

On the question of whether the country was headed in the right direction, 57.7 percent of those surveyed answered yes, in stark contrast to the 5 percent who felt that way before Lasso took office.

Ecuador’s new National Assembly received 31 percent approval in contrast to the 6 percent of the outgoing Assembly. On the question of credibility, however, the Assembly only received a 20.9 percent approval rating.

Ecuadorians continue to support liberalizing the country’s abortion law, with 69.5 percent favoring the right to abortion in cases of rape or incest. The Constitutional Court ruled in May that the current prohibition of all abortions is a violation of human rights and ordered the Assembly to draft new legislation legalizing it in certain cases.

The Cedatos poll included 1,857 participants.