MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chilean candidates prepare for crucial debate

Chilean ruling coalition presidential candidate Michelle Bachelet and opposition Conservative businessman Sebastian Piñera are scheduled to debate Wednesday evening on national television, the only time they will do so before the run off next January 15.

The one hour debate will be aired in all Chilean open channels and could be crucial since a good performance from any of the two candidates would have a decisive impact on the independent electorate which still is unresolved about to whom trust its vote.

Bachelet and Piñera have already clashed in two debates previous to the December 11 first round, with two other hopefuls, when the ruling coalition candidate was seen as having managed a slight advantage over her adversaries on both occasions.

The first public opinion poll to be published since December 11 shows Ms Bachelet with 42.8% of vote intention and Mr. Piñera trailing closely 37.5%. The poll was done December 18/22.

In the first round Ms Bachelet managed 46% of the vote and Mr. Piñera 25.4%. However it was the first time that the Conservative block (adding Joaquin Lavin) was ahead of the coalition of centre and centre left parties, (mainly President Ricardo Lagos Socialist and Christian Democrats) which has ruled Chile since recovering democracy in 1990.

Currently Mr. Piñera is trying to attract the hard right wing of Mr. Lavin (23.2% in December 11) and Ms Bachelet the more left wing Humanist and Communists whose leaders have promised her support.

However the big fight and hard blows are centred in the ruling coalition's junior partner, the Christian Democrats, many of whom feel more sympathetic towards the successful businessman Mr. Piñera and his compassionate Christian attitude than Ms Bachelet, a declared agnostic, with former links to the "hard" left and head of a one parent family in a most Catholic country.

Mr. Piñera is expected to question Ms Bachelet's leadership capacity and good reaction when criticized, which allegedly she has failed in transmitting, partly because of the overwhelming figure of president Lagos who virtually picked her as his successor and has a "protective" attitude towards her.

"We're going to show that Ms. Bachelet is well prepared for the job: she is a doctor in medicine, is an expert in military affairs which she learnt in a US academy, as a former minister in two delicate areas, Public Health and Defence is well aware of what governance means and besides is fluent in four languages", said Sergio Bitar head of her campaign team and former Education Minister.

Mr. Piñera apparently will announce a package of economic and social proposals to fight poverty; improve education and health services; stabilize the rising value of the Chilean currency which is harming non metal exports, and a strong law and order stance.

According to close associates he will avoid a direct confrontation with Ms Bachelet so as not to "repel" the woman vote. In a New Year public celebration Mr. Piñera made it a point to look for Ms Bachelet congratulate her, and then hugged and kissed her three times before photographers. If the ruling coalition wins Ms Bachelet will be the first woman president in Chile's history

Ms Bachelet is expected to attack the fact Mr Piñera is one of the richest men in Chile, (including Lan Chile and Chilevision, one of the country's main television stations), which could become highly sensitive to the businesses "lobbies", plus his refusal to dispose of all his assets in a blind fund while in politics.

Piñera's team also underlines that the achievements of Chile since becoming a democracy can be attributed to a strong presence of the opposition in Congress keeping track of the ruling coalition. Now that the ruling coalition will have a majority in both Congress Houses, (following on December 11 results) a same colour Executive is not healthy in political or counterbalance terms.

The debate format is with four journalists asking the same questions to both candidates.