Mexico’s president today characterized 2018 as “a good year” and nearly half of Mexicans are in agreement, according to a new poll.

Andrés Manuel López Obrador said in a year-end video message that it has been “the year of hope” because Mexicans chose “transformation and true change,” referring to the July 1 election results that put him and his Morena party in power.

But 2018 has not been easy nor has it been “all happiness,” he said, citing the deaths of Puebla Governor Martha Érika Alonso and her husband the ex-governor, Senator Rafael Moreno Valle.

The two were among five people killed when the helicopter in which they were traveling crashed near the city of Puebla on December 24.

The president repeated his pledge for a full and independent investigation, a probe that is being conducted by investigators from the United States and Canada.

Meanwhile, a national telephone poll by the newspaper El Financiero revealed that 46% of Mexicans believe 2018 has been good if not better. Neither good nor bad was the opinion of 29% while 24% said it was bad, very bad or awful.

The positive assessment was probably fueled by the conclusion by 49% that their lives in general had improved while 13% felt things had gone backwards.

Thirty-eight per cent saw advances in their personal finances; 17% saw a reversal.

For 39% the best thing that happened in 2018 was the conclusion of former president Enrique Peña Nieto’s six-year term, and for 38% it was the election of López Obrador.

The latter was also selected as man of the year by 47%, followed by filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón (Roma) with 15% and Argentinean soccer player Lionel Messi with 10%. Russian President Vladimir Putin made the list, with 9%, well ahead of United States President Donald Trump, who was selected by 2%.

The worst thing about the year for 46% of respondents was insecurity. For 26% corruption was the worst and for 19% the economy.

Source: Milenio (sp), El Financiero (sp)