Antillón New "Spin
Doctor" For Arias
Administration
Mayí Antillón, a member
of the Partido
Liberacion Nacional (PLN)
- ruling party - will be
the new face of the
government when it comes
to communicating with
the people.
The popular Antillón
will become the
country's communications
minister in a new
created portfolio by
president Oscar Arias,
to be the face of the
government to soften the
blow of the economic
crisis.
Antillón, who will take
office in mid January,
has been quoted as
saying that 2009 will be
a "complicated year",
reaffirming the
statement made by Arias
in the last week that
the country will need to
pray for a change of
prosperity next year.
Arias' popularity rating
has been falling with
the rise in crime and
the economic downtown.
Don Oscar in October saw
his popularity fall to
44% from a high of 64%
in January, according to
CID-Gallup.
Antillón, is a close
supporter of the Arias
administration and pro
free trade.
Antillón, who is
currently a legislative
member and head of the
PLN bench, will leave
her legislative seat on
January 14, 2009, to
assume her new role,
bringing her a wealth of
experience both in
government and business.
Antillón, in her career
has been president of
the Comisión de
Reglamento, Comisión
Especial investigating
the Colombian rebel
group FARC ties to Costa
Rica and currently head
of the Comisión de
Asuntos Internacionales
y Comercio Exterior.
Questioned on her new
role, Antillón made it
clear that she would be
working for the
government and not to
promote Laura Chinchilla
who will be seeking the
PLN party nominations
for the 2010
presidential elections.
Antillón that she is not
yet sure of the details
of her new position, nor
where her salary is
coming from, saying that
her primary role is to
co-ordinate information
coming from Casa
Presidential
(presidential office)
and the Poder Ejecutivo
(the government).
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