A new public opinion survey from leading Latin American research firm CB Consultora Opinión Pública has placed Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader among the most popular chief executives across the region, holding the fourth spot in the latest regional approval rankings.
Released for the start of Abinader’s second term in office, the poll recorded a 57.3% overall approval rating for the Dominican leader, with 39.6% of respondents indicating they disapproved of his performance. This strong showing cements his position as one of the most favorably viewed incumbent presidents in Latin America.
Topping the 2026 regional ranking is El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele, who claimed the number one position with an impressive 70.1% approval rating. Mexico’s Claudia Sheinbaum followed close behind in second place, just three-tenths of a percentage point behind Bukele at 69.8%. Costa Rica’s Rodrigo Chaves took third place with a 59.5% approval rating, leaving Abinader to slot into fourth, just ahead of Bolivia’s Rodrigo Paz, who recorded a 52.9% approval score.
A range of regional leaders landed in the middle of the approval table. Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega, Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Chile’s José Antonio Kast, and Paraguay’s Santiago Peña all fell within this mid-tier grouping. Toward the lower end of the rankings were Colombian President Gustavo Petro, Guatemala’s Bernardo Arévalo, Argentina’s Javier Milei, and Ecuador’s Daniel Noboa, all of whom posted below-average approval numbers. Bringing up the bottom of the 18-country ranking were Venezuela’s Delcy Rodríguez and Peru’s interim president José María Balcázar.
The survey, fielded between April 13 and 18 of 2026, collected responses from more than 40,000 people across all 18 surveyed Latin American nations. Researchers designed the study to meet rigorous statistical standards, achieving a 95% confidence level and a narrow margin of error ranging between just ±1.9% and 2.2% across the sample.