MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Heavyweight Lagos quits Chilean presidential race

Former Pte. R. Lagos

Former Chilean President Ricardo Lagos announced he's not running in next year's presidential race, leaving the ruling but weakened centre-left Concertacion coalition without its main contender.

"I am not, nor will I be, a presidential candidate," Mr Lagos said at a news conference in the capital Santiago on Thursday. He completed his 2000-2006 term as Chile's most popular president since the late General Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship ended in 1990. "I don't see running for president as my best contribution to the country, but rather collaborating in the renewal of ideas and efforts to better serve," he added. He announced his decision after months sitting on the fence. "I will travel the country in support of the candidate that is chosen to represent the Concertación", said Lagos who stressed he will be focus on reviving the ideals of the leftist coalition. President Michelle Bachelet's ruling Concertacion coalition, which has ruled Chile since the dictatorship, has not yet chosen a candidate for the 2009 presidential race. Bachelet is not eligible to run for re-election. After eighteen years in office the ruling coalition, (mainly Socialists and Christian Democrats) are split over several controversial issues and the more conservative wing of the junior member Christian Democrats has moved closer to the right wing opposition. Possible Concertacion presidential hopefuls include another former president, Christian Democrat Eduardo Frei. Former Foreign Minister Soledad Alvear, another of the coalition's clutch of presidential hopefuls, ditched her own bid in October after a poor showing in municipal elections. That leaves Mr Frei and Socialist Jose Miguel Insulza, secretary general of the Organization of American States as the two leading figures. The coalition has also been battered by protests and scandals in recent months that have helped to boost conservative rivals ahead of what is seen as the toughest presidential race since the return to democracy two decades ago. Polls tip centre-right billionaire, Sebastian Pinera, to win the 2009 presidential vote. But analysts say the two coalitions dominating Chilean politics will both need to forge alliances with centrist independents. They also predict it will be a close race. Ricardo Isarel, a political analyst who has now joined a political party made up of breakaway members of the Concertacion, believes Lagos could have a change of heart if the coalition's member parties halt infighting and rally together. "If he has pulled out for good, that leaves Insulza as the candidate for the left of the Concertacion, and Frei as the Concertacion's strongest overall candidate," he said. Lagos emphasized the need for "a higher degree of party organization" but nevertheless said that considering the results of the recent municipal elections, the presidential elections are "perfectly winnable".