47% of Mexicans Believe that Living in U.S. Would Be Better: Down 6 Points in One Year - Pew

CNN Mexico: The idea that ​​emigrating to the United States guarantees a better life has lost ground in the minds of Mexicans. A recent Pew survey revealed that fewer than half (47%) have this idea. Just in 2012, more than half of Mexicans (53%) thought that going to the United States was synonymous with a better life.

The Pew Research Center, an organization that analyzes trends in the United States and abroad, surveyed 1,000 adults in Mexico between March 4 and 17. The Pew Center released the results two days before the U.S. President's official visit to Mexico. The level of confidence is 1%, with a margin of error of plus / minus 4.

One in five Mexicans (18%) believe that Mexican nationals living in the U.S. have a worse life than they have here [Mexico], and 29% believe that life in the country to the north is neither better nor worse than in Mexico.

The change in perception about the situation in the U.S. was that six of every ten Mexicans responded that they would not go to live in the United States even if they could. A minority (35%) said that if they were able, yes, they would go, and 20% said that they would do it even without authorization.

Among those who have friends or family in the U.S., 70% believe they have achieved their goals,  while 25% noted that their loved ones are disappointed by not achieving their goals.

Three in ten said that they knew someone who went to the United States, but returned because they didn't find employment.

The opinion of Mexicans is split on the effects for Mexico of the 11 million bi-nationals who live in the U.S. (six million illegally). Forty-four percent believe that it is good for Mexico that to have 11 million Mexicans in that country, and the same amount believe that it is negative.

Despite the fact that Mexicans do not believe that life is better in the United States, their opinion about that country and its president, Barack Obama, has improved in recent years. In 2010, just 44% of Mexicans had a positive view of the United States. In 2012, that percentage increased to 56%.

Obama also scored better than in recent years. Half of Mexicans (49%) expressed confidence that Obama does the right thing in international politics. In 2012, only 42% believed this.

Despite the good opinion that Mexicans seem to have about the United States, more than half (56%) blame that country for the violence that Mexico experiences related to organized crime ... .

With regard to the national political situation, 57% of Mexicans consider the return of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) to power after twelve years of PAN governments is positive. Spanish original