The Political Culture of Democracy in El Salvador and in the Americas, 2016/17: A Comparative Study of Democracy and Governance By: Ricardo Córdova Macías, Ph.D. FUNDAUNGO Mariana Rodríguez, Ph.D. LAPOP Program Coordinator and Report Editor Vanderbilt University Elizabeth J. Zechmeister, Ph.D. LAPOP Director and Series Editor Vanderbilt University May 2018 This study is made possible by the support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents of this study are the sole responsibility of the authors and LAPOP and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. Table of Contents Table of Contents List of Figures ............................................................................................................................................................. vii List of Tables ................................................................................................................................................................ xi Preface .......................................................................................................................................................................... xiii Prologue: Background to the Study .................................................................................................................... xv Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................................. xix Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................. xxv Chapter 1. Support for Electoral Democracy in the Americas .................................................................. 1 I. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1 II. Main Findings ............................................................................................................................... 2 III. The Basic Tenets of Electoral Democracy ........................................................................... 2 Support for Democracy in the Abstract ...................................................................... 4 Rules of the Game: Support for Coups under High Crime and Corruption ........................................................................................................................... 7 Support for Executive Coups ....................................................................................... 10 IV. Support for Democratic Institutions: Elections and Parties .........................................12 Trust in Elections ............................................................................................................ 13 Participation in Elections .............................................................................................. 16 Trust in Political Parties ................................................................................................ 18 Partisanship...................................................................................................................... 22 V. Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 25 Chapter 2. The Supply of Basic Liberties in the Americas ....................................................................... 27 I. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 27 II. Main Findings ............................................................................................................................. 28 III. The Media .................................................................................................................................. 29 Supply of Freedom of the Press .................................................................................. 29 Trust in the Media .......................................................................................................... 32 IV. Freedom to Express Opinions .............................................................................................. 34 Perceptions of Freedom to Express Opinions in General ................................... 35 Perceptions of Freedom to Express Political Opinions ........................................ 36 V. Human Rights ............................................................................................................................. 39 VI. Deficit of Basic Liberties Index ............................................................................................. 41 VII. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 44 Page | iii Political Culture of Democracy in El Salvador, 2016/17 Chapter 3. Citizen Security and Violence Prevention at the Local Level ........................................... 47 I. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 47 II. Main Findings ............................................................................................................................. 47 III. Security Problems at the Local Level ................................................................................. 48 IV. Victimization by Crime and Perceptions of Insecurity ................................................. 60 V. Violence Prevention Initiatives .............................................................................................. 72 VI. Opinions on Police Performance ......................................................................................... 79 VII. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 91 Appendix ........................................................................................................................................... 94 Chapter 4. Economic Evaluations, Institutional Trust, Electoral Behavior and Political Parties ..................................................................................................................................................... 97 I. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 97 II. Main Findings ............................................................................................................................. 97 III. Assessment of the State of the Country ............................................................................ 98 IV. Determinants of Voting Behavior ...................................................................................... 108 V. Comparison of Voting Behavior in the 2014 Presidential and 2015 Legislative Elections. .............................................................................................................. 111 VI. Assessment of Electoral Reforms ....................................................................................... 113 VII. Assessment of Political Parties ........................................................................................... 115 VIII. Interest in Politics ................................................................................................................ 117 IX. Ideological Orientation .......................................................................................................... 119 X. Support for Electoral Democracy ....................................................................................... 122 XI. Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 123 Appendix ......................................................................................................................................... 125 Chapter 5. Civil Society, Citizen Participation, and Corruption ........................................................... 127 I. Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 127 II. Main Findings ............................................................................................................................ 127 III. Participation in Civic Organizations ................................................................................. 128 IV. Participation in protests ...................................................................................................... 132 V. Interpersonal Trust ................................................................................................................. 134 VI. Representation of Interests ................................................................................................. 138 VII. Assessment of Corruption ................................................................................................... 141 VIII. Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 150 Appendix .........................................................................................................................................