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Mockus and Santos are practically tied in Presidential race

By Manuel Rueda, Editorial Director

Saturday, April 22, 2010

Green party candidate Antanas Mockus is now only one percentage point behind front runner Juan Manuel Santos according to the latest survey by the Centro Nacional de Consultoria. 

The polling firm interviewed 1,000 people in 38 cities from April 19 to April 21st with 35% saying they would vote for the former defence minister Santos whilst 34% said they would vote for Mockus.

Twelve percent of respondents said they would vote for Conservative Party candidate Noemi Sanin, while three other candidates from the Liberal Party, the Polo Democratico and Cambio Radical obtained 4 to 5% of voting intent. 

Mockus has been steadily climbing in all polls, but this is the first one that gives him more than 30% of voting intent and places him so close to Santos, who has regularly led the polls with around 35% of voting intent. 

In the last survey by the same polling firm, which was released on April 15th Mockus obtained 29% of voting intent with Santos obtaining 36%.  

In this week´s survey the Centro Nacional de Consultoria also asked participants who they would vote for if the elections had to go to a second round runoff between the top two contenders. 

Surprisingly, 50% of respondents said they would vote for Mockus, while 46% intended to support Santos.  

Presidential elections will be held in Colombia on May 30th.  If none of the candidates obtains 50% of the vote, the top two contenders must compete in a second round run-off that would be held on June 20th.