Radical party demands "more respect" for their presidential candidate

SANTIAGO.- The deputy and vice president of the Radical Social-Democratic Party, Fernando Meza, has called the weak support from other Concertación parties for presidential candidate and Radical party leader, José Antonio Gómez, "a lack of respect for the ideals and principles Chilean radicalism defends".

Meza stated that it is unacceptable at this stage to continue to insist on the possibility of an open primary between Eduardo Frei and José Miguel Insulza, when the latter has still not defined whether or not he will be a candidate and the Radical Party already has officially proclaimed their candidate.

"We cannot understand how the PPD and PS are negotiating an agreement to define one sole candidate for the progressive movement, when we already have someone who is defending the principles of national progressive politics. We also do not understand how our comrades can forget that our party exists", stated Meza.

The deputy also questioned the fact that opinion polls do not include Gómez in their studies so that citizens may express their opinion about him, considering that he is a presidential candidate backed by a party that has a minister who belongs to the cabinet of President Michelle Bachelet, as well as seven deputies and three senators in office.