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 indicates that a significant portion of the population expresses dissatisfaction with the leader’s actions. In addition, it highlights the pressing concerns for citizens: ongoing insecurity, enduring poverty, long-term unemployment, and a government strategy viewed as excessively ideological. These factors create a challenging scenario for the current administration, which is confronted with increasing calls for political reform.
Safety, scarcity, and autocracy: the primary areas of conflict
The lack of concrete progress in the fight against organized crime is one of the main factors of discontent. Violence and the penetration of criminal structures into state institutions remain issues without clear answers. Added to this is an economy that fails to offer alternatives for millions of Hondurans, many of whom live below the poverty line or lack formal employment.
Another significant discovery of the ERIC-SJ study is the increasing awareness of democratic backsliding. Almost 50% of respondents worry that liberties are being curtailed, and 54% think that the nation is heading towards an authoritarian system. This perspective supports recent assessments of weakening institutions and the political manipulation of government mechanisms, as reported by the InSight Crime center in their inquiries concerning the legal system.
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 within the country
Several leaders from unions and civil society have seen the survey findings as an alert that the administration should not overlook. The public’s message highlights the necessity for creating consensus and moving beyond political disputes. The call for an extensive national discussion involving the opposition, businesses, and social groups is a recurring topic in the ERIC-SJ report.
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 Honduran population continues to express, through these studies, its frustration with the lack of results and the absence of a vision for an inclusive country. In this scenario, the immediate challenge for Xiomara Castro’s government is not only to respond to criticism, but also to regain legitimacy before the gap with the citizenry becomes irreversible.