Public Trust and Regime Legitimacy Dynamics in Nicaragua and Costa Rica

• In Event: Poster Session: New Perspectives in Political Science Research: Scholarship by Vanderbilt REU Students

Abstract

With the rise of political conflicts in Latin America, what makes a regime legitimate? To test this, I analyze trust in the national police - a key institution that represents the rule of law. What factors explain the variance in expressed trust in the national police? Does it differ among marginalized groups? I argue that support for the president is a fundamental factor to trust the police in personalized, authoritarian regimes, but not in institutionalized democracies. I compare attitudes towards national police between Costa Rica and Nicaragua, two neighboring countries with distinct regimes. Utilizing AmericasBarometer data, the statistical analyses reveal regime legitimacy dynamics: Highly personalized regimes like Nicaragua lead citizens to evaluate political institutions based on their views of the president, regardless of marginalized group status, while in democracies, views of institutions such as the national police have little to do with one’s views of the president. This highlights the impact of cult identity in personalized regimes and a threat to democratic principles.

Author

• José Caballero, Columbia University