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(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Laura
Chinchilla of the Partido Liberacion
Nacional (PLN) remains ahead of her rivals
in the early stages of Costa Rica’s
presidential race, according to a poll by
CID-Gallup. 36 per cent of respondents would
support the former vice-president in the
2010 election.
Former presidential candidate Ottón Solís of
the Partido Accion Cuidadana (PAC) is
second with 29 per cent, followed by former
president Rafael Ángel Calderón of the
Partido Undad Social Cristiana (PUSC) with
eight per cent, and Otto Guevara of the
Movimiento Libertario (ML) with seven per
cent.
A second scenario shows former San José
mayor Johnny Araya of the PLN in first place
with 35 per cent, followed by Solís with 26
per cent, Calderón with eight per cent, and
Guevara with seven per cent.
The PLN’s Óscar Arias won the February 2006
presidential election with 40.92 per cent of
all cast ballots. Solís finished in second
place with 39.80 per cent. Arias headed the
government from 1986 to 1990, and was able
to run again after the Costa Rican
Legislative Assembly opted to bring back
presidential re-election in 2003. He was
sworn in for the second time in May 2006.
The PLN will choose its presidential
candidate in a convention scheduled for June
7. The PAC, for the first time since the
creation of the party in 2000, will hold a
public convention on May 31 to choose a
candidate.
Last month, Guevara declared: "The PUSC is a
party that lost its way ethically and does
not deserve another chance in government.
(...) If Rafael Ángel Calderón remains their
presidential hopeful, there is no chance of
reaching an agreement with this party."
The next presidential election in Costa Rica
is scheduled for Feb. 4, 2010.
Polling Data
Which of these candidates would you vote for
in the 2010 presidential election?
Option 1
|
Apr. 2009 |
Apr. 2008 |
|
Laura Chinchilla (PLN) |
36% |
35% |
|
Ottón Solís (PAC) |
29% |
30% |
|
Rafael Ángel Calderón (PUSC) |
8% |
13% |
|
Otto Guevara (ML) |
7% |
n.a. |
|
Other / None / Not sure |
20% |
22% |
|
|
|
Option 2
|
|
|
|
Johnny Araya Monge (PLN) |
35% |
33% |
|
Ottón Solís (PAC) |
26% |
31% |
|
Rafael Ángel Calderón (PUSC) |
8% |
15% |
|
Otto Guevara (ML) |
7% |
|
|
Other / None / Not sure |
24% |
21% |
Source: CID-Gallup
Methodology: Interviews with 1,188 Costa
Rican adults, conducted from Mar. 27 to Apr.
6, 2009. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
Editor's note
The PAC's Epsy Campbell was
not figured in the poll. Campbell is
responsible for the change in the PAC to
hold an open convention, challenging Solís
who has led the party in the last two
presidential elections.
Also, the poll did not indicate the
alternative choice of Jose Manuel Echandi to
lead the PUSC party in the event Rafael
Ángel Calderón loses his corruption and
embezzlement trial and is found guilty. Some
PUSC party hardliners rejected the
possibility of Echandi as "Plan B" for the
party.
|
