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ELECTION 2206
Arias Drops While Solís
Climbs in Latest Poll
Though everyone believes that
former president Oscar Arias
Sanchez of the Partido
Liberación Nacional (PLN) is a
shoe in for Sunday's
presidential elections, the
numbers show that there is a
strong possibility that the
results at the end of the day
may force a second round
election, like in 2002.
Arias has been leading in the
polls, this week reaching a high
of 49% of the popular vote by
one poll, while, Ottón Solís, of
the Partido Acción Cuiadana
(PAC), came in second with less
than half. However, with only a
few days to election, Arias is
slipping in the polls and Solís
is gaining momentum.
The lastest poll by Demoscopia
prepared for the Spanish daily
newspaper Al Día, shows Oscar
Arias dropping to 43%, while
Solís gaining ground at 26%.
Third place Otto Guevara, of the
Movimiento Libertario (ML) is
alos slowly climbing in
populatiry at 15.9%, the poll
shows.
Ricardo Toledo, of the Partido
Unidad Social Cristiana, is down
in the dumps at 4.2%.
Otton Solís was responsible for
the second round eletion in 2002
when neither Pacheco of the PUSC
or Arya of the PLN earned the
required 40% of the popular
vote. The second round was the
first in Costa Rica's political
history.
According to José Alberto
Rodríguez, president of
Demoscopía, there are number of
factors leading to drop in the
PLN campaign. Rodríguez says
that one possibility is that
many PUSC voters who were
staying away from ther party due
to the scandals that saw two
forme presidents in jail, are
now going back to the PUSC.
The poor showing on last Sunday
by the PLN at the 'plaza pública'
when less than one half of the
expected 50.000 showed up to
support their party and their
leaders.
Rodríguez added that Solís and
Guevara's climb in the polls
does not necessarily mean
increased support by voters,
but, rather, a drop in support
for Arias.
Beginning today there will be no
political propaganda permitted,
giving voters a chance to
reflect and consider which
candidate they will cast their
vote. The Tribunal Supremo de
Elecciones (TSE) regulates the
election process from what
candidates and their parties can
and cannot do to get elected, to
holding the elections and
publishing the results.
A number of outside "observers"
have been invited to Costa Rica
by the TSE to oversee the
election process.
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