Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega has the lowest favorability rating of any leader in the region, including deposed Honduran President Manuel “Mel” Zelaya, according to a CID-Gallup poll released Tuesday.

Despite being ousted by a military coup June 28, Zelaya is still viewed more favorably than Ortega, who has a favorability rating of 42 percent, good for last place among the seven presidents of the Central American Integration System (Central America plus Dominican Republic ).

The CID Gallup poll, which claims a 95 percent confidence rating, measures public opinion towards the presidents, and is not an evaluation of their performance or that of their government.

Topping the poll are the two newest presidents in the region, El Salvador's leftist President Mauricio Funes and Panama's rightwing Ricardo Martinelli, both of whom enjoy an 86 percent rating. In third place is Costa Rica's President Oscar Arias, with 70 percent, followed by Guatemala's Alvaro Colom, with 55 percent favorability rating.

The surveys, which polled at least 1,200 people in each country, were conducted between June and July.