ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses whether susceptibility to manipulation lies in the nature of polling itself or in the culture and practice of Latin American politics. The other Mexican political parties, and the Mexican media, have made little use of polls. To gain access to international-level conferences on public opinion research, Mexican researchers took part in the 1988 meeting of the World Association for Public Opinion Research, which developed a code of professional ethics. Public reaction to the poll also encouraged La Jornada to undertake a full-scale national survey, which the government tried to prevent. During 1989 the political impact of polls became even more apparent. In 1990 the Mexican government attempted to interfere in professional associations as well as to create legal barriers to the practice of polling. Lawyers ultimately concluded that a legal loophole meant that the law was applicable only to political parties, not to the media or to independent firms.
