Arias Support Up 20 Points In
The Polls
Following several months of declining public support, Costa Rican
president, Oscar Arias, is again becoming well liked. According to
the latest poll, public support for the president has risen
considerably, 20 more out of every 100 persons think he is doing a "buena"
(good) or "muy buena" (very good) job since August 2008.
The poll indicates that 49% of Costa Ricans now have good opinion of
the prez, while the approval rate last August was only 29%.
The poll was taken by Unimer for the Spanish language daily, La
Nación, between January 20 and 27, taking into account the responses
of 1.225 people. The results have a 2.8 margin of error.
Those polled indicated that their confidence in their president is
based on having a clearer perception of the handling of government
expenditures, being able to resolve the problems facing the, acting
in benefit of the majority and the conduct of public officials.
In addition to the increase favourable opinion, there was also a
decrease in the negative opinion.
In August 2008, 28% felt that the president was doing a "mala" (bad)
or "muy mala" (very bad) job of running the country, while the
latest poll shows that number now as only 17%.
According to Unimer, the more lenient towards the president are
Costa Ricans with high education, those over the age of 40, women
and those with high income and followers of the Partido Liberación
Nacional (PLN) and who voted for Arias in 2006.
The group difavouring the president are those between the ages of 18
and 29, followers of the Movimiento Libertario and Partido Acción
Ciudadana (PAC) and living in the outskirts of the Gran Área
Metropolitana (San Jose).
Giving president Arias a boost in popularity, according to the
pollsters, is his quick and decisive reaction to the emergency of
the January 8 earthquake, visiting personally the affected area the
following day and seen leading the emergency efforts.
Also giving the prez a boost is the economic stimulation of
capitalizing the state banks with us$117.5 million dollars to boost
bank lending.
The poll was taken before Arias announced his economic stimulus
packaged called "Plan Escudo" which has led to the state banks
reducing their interest rates 2 percentage points on a temporary
basis, among other things.
And for icing on the cake, the Arias-driven relation ship with China
and resolving the problems facing the construction of the new
stadium donated entirely by the Chinese, paid dividends for the
president during the poll period.
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