Arias Asks Costa Ricans
To Vote, Avoids
Mentioning His Support
For the TLC During
National Television
Broadcast
Costa Rican president,
Óscar Arias, took the
opportunity last night
on national television
to urge Costa Ricans to
vote come October 7, but
being careful not to
mention his support for
the TLC directly.
Arias also took the
opportunity to express
his sorrow for the
departure of his second
vice-president, Kevin
Casas, who submitted his
resignation on Saturday.
The Arias national
broadcast lasted four
minutes and did not
mention once the Tratado
de Libre Comercio (TLC)
- free trade agreement
with the United States -
directly.
Using metaphors, the
President mentioned some
of the results of his
government during the
first 16 months of
office and that Costa
Rica must retake the
challenge of development
that has characterized
it during its first 186
years of independence.
Arias only brought up
the vote issue in the
last minute of the
broadcast, asking people
to get out and vote and
to accept the decision
of the people with calm
and serenity.
"We are ready to reap
the harvest. This is a
land where the most
beautiful plants have
always been able to
flourish", said Arias in
his message recorded
earlier in the day with
the help of his closest
advisors that include
his press agent Mishelle
Mitchell and finance
minister, Fernando
Zumbado.
The broadcast is
provided free of charge
by the national
television channels.
Costa Ricans will be
going to the voting
booths on October 7th to
decide on the fate of
the trade deal with the
United States. And
depending on the poll
latest poll, with less
than two weeks to
voting, the "Si" and
"No" are neck to neck.
The latest Unimer poll
prepared for La Nación
reveals that 49.1% of
the decided voters would
vote "Si" and 46.3%
would vote "No".
The Unimer poll shows
that the number of
decided voters grew to
64% this month, up from
53% last month, while
the number of undecided
or abstenteeism fell
from 25% to 17%.
The Tribunal Supremo de
Elecciones (TSE)
requires that at least
40% of the registered
voters vote on
referendum day, failing
which the referendum
vote will be null and
void and the fate of the
TLC goes back to the
legislative assembly. |
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