Piñera rebuts Frei's criticism of UDD poll

SANTIAGO.- Following harsh statements of criticism voiced by Concertación presidential candidate Eduardo Frei regarding a poll taken by the Universidad del Desarrollo (UDD) -which indicated Marco Enríquez–Ominami surpasses him in several attributes- the presidential candidate for the "Coalition for Change", Sebastián Piñera, has asked him to accept the polls regardless of whether they favor him or not.

"It is not right for someone to applaud the polls that favor them and disregard the ones that do not", Piñera told Radio ADN while stating that he "saw Eduardo Frei and his committee, for example, brutally speak out against the poll by the Universidad de Desarrollo despite the fact that Frei himself had, only weeks before, said the survey was one of the most well-respected in Chile".

Piñera added that "it is not right that when it favors him it is considered to be of value and when it does not favor him, it is being manipulated by malevolent forces".

Sebastián Piñera, who led the controversial poll in all categories, has said that this and other public opinion surveys reflect the need for government change desired by the Chilean people.