Latin America Mexico

Corruption Fears Drive Sheinbaum Approval to All-Time Low

By Sofia Gabriela Martinez · April 30, 2026 · 2 min read

Key Points

—Sheinbaum approval dropped to 51% in April, three points below March and at least 15 points below a year ago, per Bloomberg-AtlasIntel.

—Corruption (59%), crime (39%), and inflation (31%) are voters’ top three concerns. Nearly half rate the economy as bad.

—The drop coincides with a GDP contraction, the Rocha narco indictment, and 84% of Mexicans reporting higher prices since the Iran war began.

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Sheinbaum approval has crossed below the majority threshold for the first time since she took office, as corruption scandals within her own party compound economic and security concerns.

The Rio Times, the Latin American financial news outlet, reports that Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum recorded her lowest approval rating in the latest LatAm Pulse poll conducted by AtlasIntel for Bloomberg News. The April survey of 2,948 adults found 51% approval — down three points from March, at least 15 points below her standing a year ago, and a new floor for her 18-month-old administration. Disapproval rose to 43%.

What’s Driving the Sheinbaum Approval Decline

Corruption has become the dominant concern. Fifty-nine percent of respondents named it as Mexico’s top problem — a sharp increase driven by a series of scandals involving Morena officials, including a mayor arrested for extorting multinational companies and allegations of links to fuel smuggling networks. The DOJ indictment of Sinaloa’s Morena governor on narcotics charges, announced the same day as the poll, will compound the pressure.

Corruption Fears Drive Sheinbaum Approval to All-Time Low . (Photo Internet reproduction)

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The economy is equally corrosive. Nearly half of respondents described economic conditions as bad, and 84% said prices have risen since the Iran war began in late February. The GDP contraction of 0.8% in Q1, released on the same day, adds empirical weight to the public’s perception.

Live Market IntelligenceMexico — Live Market BoardInside: market breadth, the sector heatmap, currencies & rates, the Latin America scoreboard and the full instrument board.

Rio Times · Live Market Intelligence

Mexico — Live Market Board

BMV · Mexico City
Jul 21, 2026 · 03:15

S&P/BMV IPC · benchmark

66,125.27
-0.74%

+18.41% over 12 months

Market breadth · 15 names

40% advancing

6 ▲ advancing9 declining ▼

Currencies, rates & key inputs

USD / MXN

17.39

-0.22%

Brent crude

88.41

-0.91%

Gold

4,067

+1.41%

Sector heatmap · average move today

Mining

+0.42%

GMEXICO

Consumer Staples

+0.39%

WALMEX, FEMSA, BIMBO, KOF

Telecom

+0.17%

TELEVISA, AMX

Other

-0.65%

AMX ADR

Financials

-0.74%

GFNORTE

Industrials

-1.92%

GAP, ASUR, OMA

Materials

-4.05%

CEMEX

Latin America scoreboard

IndexLastTodayStrength

IbovespaBrazil
173,371.35
-0.20%

S&P/BMV IPCMexico
66,125.27
-0.74%

S&P IPSAChile
10,896.87
+0.10%

S&P MERVALArgentina
3,223,652
+0.74%

MSCI COLCAPColombia
2,298.34
+0.00%

BVL S&P PerúPeru
55,645.90
—

Full instrument board

Instrument	Last	Change	YoY	Prev.	High	Low	Volume
IPC MEX	66,125.27	-0.74%	+18.41%	66,615.43	—	—	—
USD/MXN	17.39	-0.22%	-7.00%	17.43	17.43	17.39	—
WALMEX	49.38	-0.22%	-3.03%	49.49	49.69	49.20	6,073,169
GMEXICO	201.45	+0.42%	+75.27%	200.60	203.77	198.81	3,218,166
FEMSA	226.85	+0.49%	+21.71%	225.74	228.70	225.24	1,617,051
CEMEX	21.81	-4.05%	+52.05%	22.73	22.79	21.79	14,681,490
GFNORTE	180.00	-0.74%	+12.80%	181.34	184.05	179.24	3,921,483
BIMBO	59.31	+2.26%	+19.45%	58.00	60.13	57.95	2,030,927
TELEVISA	9.71	+1.46%	+21.68%	9.57	9.82	9.53	2,033,805
AMX	22.74	-1.13%	+42.28%	23.00	23.14	22.72	14,246,057
GAP	378.19	-2.02%	-11.58%	386.00	393.46	376.41	1,118,562
ASUR	274.37	-1.91%	-11.06%	279.71	282.24	273.46	72,357
OMA	226.42	-1.82%	-12.90%	230.62	232.60	225.50	383,672
KOF	180.95	+0.11%	+7.36%	180.76	182.99	179.13	318,992
GRUMA	287.60	+0.39%	-11.43%	286.48	292.75	285.52	176,805
KIMBER	38.39	-0.72%	+9.31%	38.67	39.03	38.29	3,793,821
AMX ADR	26.10	-0.65%	+52.10%	26.27	26.49	26.07	881,973

Largest moves today

CEMEX
21.81
-4.05%

BIMBO
59.31
+2.26%

GAP
378.19
-2.02%

ASUR
274.37
-1.91%

OMA
226.42
-1.82%

TELEVISA
9.71
+1.46%

AMX
22.74
-1.13%

IPC MEX
66,125.27
-0.74%

The session read

The S&P/BMV IPC eased 0.74%, with breadth negative — 6 of 15 names higher. Mining led, while Materials lagged.

From The Rio Times

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Still Popular, But the Trend Is Clear

Sheinbaum remains one of Latin America’s most popular leaders — other pollsters using different methodologies still show her in the 60-70% range. But the Bloomberg series, which uses consistent methodology across time, shows a clear and accelerating decline since January, when she stood above 60%. The trajectory matters more than the level.

For investors, the slide increases the risk that Sheinbaum pivots toward populist spending ahead of the 2027 midterm elections rather than pursuing the structural reforms — in energy, investment climate, and security — that the weakening formal economy requires. The poll found that 40% expect conditions to improve in six months, but 29% expect deterioration — a split that leaves the political incentive structure pointing toward intervention rather than patience.

Related Coverage

Mexico GDP Contracts 0.8% in Q1 •
Sinaloa Governor DOJ Indictment •
49K Mexican Businesses Closed

Corruption Fears Drive Sheinbaum Approval to All-Time Low

Daily Brief

Key Points

What’s Driving the Sheinbaum Approval Decline

Mexico — Live Market Board

Still Popular, But the Trend Is Clear

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