Frei says he is sure he would defeat Inzulza in primaries

SANTIAGO.- The presidential candidate for the Christian Democracy (DC), Eduardo Frei, expressed his belief today that he would defeat the Secretary General of the OAS, José Miguel Insulza, if the former minister decides to run in the Concertación primaries in April of 2009.

"I have travelled around the country over the last eight months; I visited practically 200 municipalities during the municipal campaign and in recent days I feel, and I have felt during these visits, that I have the complete and solid backing of my party; that there are many people in other parties belonging to the Concertación that are also willing to work and there are many people that don’t belong to political parties; therefore, I am confident", the senator told Radio Cooperativa.

Faced with figures displayed by some polls, which indicate that Frei may not have as much support as José Miguel Insulza, the senator downplayed the importance of the surveys indicating, "if I paid attention to the polls, I wouldn't have even left my house during March of this year and look where I have ended up".

With regards to a possible parliamentary pact between the Concertación and the Communist Party (PC), the former President said that a political electoral agreement is a matter that will be defined by the parties and said that he is not above such coalitions.