MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

The Lagos administration at his best moment.

Chilean president Ricardo Lagos popularity is at its highest rating since taking office: 68%. The highest of any Chilean president after four and a half years of mandate which means the ruling coalition is in an undisputable situation to win the next presidential and congressional elections.

Mr. Lagos popularity has also helped push support for his administration to 60% and to 50% for the ruling coalition.

The poll was taken following the recent municipal elections when the ruling coalition advanced in most of the country, and following the release of the report from the National Committee on Political Prisoners and Torture.

As to the two main pre presidential candidates from the ruling coalition, former Defence Minister Michelle Bachelet and former Minister of Foreign Affairs Soledad Alvear, both would comfortably defeat the opposition main runner, former Santiago Mayor Joaquín Lavin, according to the latest public opinion poll from Ipsos Chile.

Ms. Bachelet would defeat Mr. Lavin, 64,5% to 28,7%, and Ms. Alvear 53,3% against 33,3% from Mr. Lavin.

As to who will be the next president of Chile, 53% replied Ms. Bachelet; 26%, Mr. Lavin and 12%, Ms. Alvear. In a range of 1 to 7 points, Ms. Bachelet leads with 5,8; Ms. Alvear, 5,5 and Mr. Lavin 4,6.

Ms. Bachelet responds to the Socialist party of President Lagos and is virtually the only candidate for her sector and has their full support. However Ms. Alvear that belongs to the other major partner of the ruling coalition, Christian Democrats, must face other hopefuls, former president Eduardo Frei and Senator Adolfo Zaldívar, who have impeded so far the party's full support behind her.

The Christian Democrat timetable indicates that this will be solved next March in a special party convention, but Ms. Alvear team is lobbying strongly to have the duel over by January, which will then enable her to face head on Ms. Bachelet that already has a considerable lead.

The poll interviewed 827 adults above 18 in the main Chilean cities with a marginal error of plus, minus, 3,4%.

As to the performance of President Lagos administration, 73,2% of interviews consider it good or very good; 21,2%, acceptable and 5,4% bad or very bad.