(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Former broadcast journalist Mauricio Funes is widening his advantage over his strongest opponent ahead of next year’s presidential election in El Salvador, according to a poll by CID-Gallup. 44 per cent of respondents would back Funes of the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) in the 2009 ballot, up four points since August.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Former broadcast journalist Mauricio Funes is widening his advantage over his strongest opponent ahead of next year’s presidential election in El Salvador, according to a poll by CID-Gallup. 44 per cent of respondents would back Funes of the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) in the 2009 ballot, up four points since August.
Rodrigo Ávila of the governing conservative Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) is second with 31 per cent. A quarter of respondents remain undecided.
ARENA’s Antonio Saca, a media businessman, was elected in March 2004, garnering 57.73 per cent of the vote. ARENA candidates have won the last four presidential elections in the Central American country. Saca is ineligible for a consecutive term in office.
In September 2007, Funes became the FMLN’s presidential nominee. In March 2008, Ávila, a former National Police chief, won ARENA’s three-candidate internal nationwide primary.
The FMLN was once an umbrella armed group of left-wing revolutionaries fighting against the Salvadoran establishment. In the early 1990s, the FMLN was disbanded and became a legal political party. Funes is the first FMLN candidate with no past as an armed guerrilla member.
On Nov. 28, Funes accused his opponent of fear-mongering, declaring, "Salvadorans should not be afraid. Youngsters should not be the victims of fear. Education will prevail over fear and lies."
The next legislative election is scheduled for Jan. 18, 2009, with a presidential ballot following on Mar. 15.
Polling Data
Which of these candidates would you vote for in the next presidential election?
|
Nov. 2008 |
Aug. 2008 |
May 2008 |
|
|
Mauricio Funes (FMLN) |
44% |
40% |
41% |
|
Rodrigo Ávila (ARENA) |
31% |
30% |
20% |
|
Wil Salgado (PCN) |
n.a. |
n.a. |
4% |
|
Other / Undecided |
25% |
30% |
35% |
Source: CID-Gallup
Methodology: Interviews with 1,244 Salvadoran adults, conducted from Nov. 15 to Nov. 23, 2008. Margin of error is 2.8 per cent.
