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Colom Ahead in Guatemala’s Presidential Race

May 30, 2007

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Left-wing candidate Álvaro Colom has lost support but remains the strongest contender in Guatemala's presidential election, according to a poll by Vox Latina published in Prensa Libre. 20.6 per cent of respondents would vote for Colom of the National Union of Hope (UNE) in this year's ballot, down 5.9 points since April.

Otto Pérez Molina of the right-wing Patriot Party (PP) is second with 11.1 per cent, followed by Alejandro Giammattei of the Grand National Alliance (GANA) with 7.1 per cent, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Rigoberta Menchú of Encounter for Guatemala (EPG) with 2.9 per cent.

GANA candidate Óscar Berger won the 2003 presidential election in a run-off, defeating Colom with 54.13 per cent of all cast ballots. Berger is constitutionally barred from seeking a new term in office.

On May 27, Colom declared during a campaign event that his victory is certain, saying, "Today we are far ahead of the others and they will not be able to catch up. There are 106 days of work left, and this time Colom is getting the presidency."

The presidential election is scheduled for Sept. 9. If no candidate garners more than 50 per cent of all cast ballots, a run-off would take place on Nov. 4.

Polling Data

Who would you vote for in the next presidential election?

May 2007

Apr. 2007

Mar. 2007

Álvaro Colom (UNE)

20.6%

26.5%

21.2%

Otto Pérez Molina (PP)

11.1%

10.8%

10.5%

Alejandro Giammattei (GANA)

7.1%

9.6%

7.5%

Rigoberta Menchú (EPG)

2.9%

2.8%

2.2%

Source: Vox Latina / Prensa Libre
Methodology: Interviews with 1,200 Guatemalan adults, conducted from May 12 to May 20, 2007. Margin of error is 4.1 per cent.