Weekly Report - 4 November 2003
EL SALVADOR: FMLN's electoral hopes fade
The ruling Arena seems to be heading for its fourth successive term in power — but all will depend on who is in the run-off.
With the presidential elections now five months away, predictions that the leftwing Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional (FMLN) might build on its success in congress and carry the day, are fading away. Three recent opinion polls put the candidate of the ruling Alianza Republicana Nacionalista (Arena), Antonio Saca, well in the lead, and rising, with a share of voter preferences ranging from 36% to 48%.
The three — by the Universidad Centroamericana, CID-Gallup and Vox Latina — also show the FMLN's Handal slipping to a range of 15-28%, and note the rise of Héctor Silva, the former mayor of San Salvador who is running as candidate of an alliance between the Christian Democrats (PDC) and the left-of-centre Centro Democrático Unido (CDU). Support for Silva is show ranging from 13% to 16.7%. That last reading, by the UCA, actually puts Silva ahead of Handal, given 14.6% in the same poll.
Arena's Saca is a 38-year-old radio broadcasting entrepreneur. The big question is who he will be facing when it comes to a run-off: he stands a far better chance against Handal. Arena has already won the presidency three times in a row since 1989.
With the presidential elections now five months away, predictions that the leftwing Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional (FMLN) might build on its success in congress and carry the day, are fading away. Three recent opinion polls put the candidate of the ruling Alianza Republicana Nacionalista (Arena), Antonio Saca, well in the lead, and rising, with a share of voter preferences ranging from 36% to 48%.
The three — by the Universidad Centroamericana, CID-Gallup and Vox Latina — also show the FMLN's Handal slipping to a range of 15-28%, and note the rise of Héctor Silva, the former mayor of San Salvador who is running as candidate of an alliance between the Christian Democrats (PDC) and the left-of-centre Centro Democrático Unido (CDU). Support for Silva is show ranging from 13% to 16.7%. That last reading, by the UCA, actually puts Silva ahead of Handal, given 14.6% in the same poll.
Arena's Saca is a 38-year-old radio broadcasting entrepreneur. The big question is who he will be facing when it comes to a run-off: he stands a far better chance against Handal. Arena has already won the presidency three times in a row since 1989.
End of preview - This article contains approximately 250 words
Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article
Not a Subscriber?
Enquire Now