Toledo Asks Other PUSC Candidates to Quit and Join Him
Ricardo Toledo Carranza, Legislative Deputy and former Ministro de la Presidencia until late last year, announced his candidacy to the presidential nomination to the Partido Unidad Social Cristiana (PUSC) last week and yesterday made a call to others running in the nomination to quit and join his team.

Toledo made a call to all "rojiazules" (blue and red, the colours of the party) to give up their personal aspiration to win the nomination at the convention slated for July 31 and join him in representing the party in the 2006 presidential elections.

The answer to his call didn't take long. It was met mainly with criticism. "We will not bend, our difference are too great. We are serious and go beyond the popularist movement", were the words of former minister, Guillermo Vargas.

The former president of the AyA (the water and sewer utility company), Everardo Rodríguez, who resigned his post to run for the nomination, said "On one hand he is begging for togethereness, on the other hand he wants to be alone". "He is contradictory and pretensions", were the words of Rodríguez.

Toledo defended his position, saying "what I meant is that the doors to my movement are open before going to the convention. But if there is a convention, no problem. I have the support that have made those in the past presidents".

On the sidelines is ex-vice president Luis Fishman, who since the last election has been inactive and silent.

"It is doubtful", were the words of Fishman when asked if he would be making his bid for the party nomination. And "I don't rule it out" was his answer if he would resign the party if Toledo where to get the party nod.

Toledo is perhaps the closest political ally to president Pacheco. His run-in with president Pacheco left Fishman with a vice-presidency without an office or official role.