Perez Molina ties with Colom in Guatemala race

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Otto Perez Molina, the conservative former chief of army intelligence, has climbed into a tie in Guatemala’s presidential race, according to a poll in the Guatemala City daily newspaper La Prensa Libre. Perez Molina, the candidate of the Patriot Party, is in a virtual tie with Alvaro Colom, the candidate of the center-left National Unity for Hope. The election is Sunday.

La Prensa Libre has Perez Molina leading Colom, an engineer, 31.8% to 31.7%. Colom had been leading most polls for months. Even more troubling for Colom, La Prensa Libre shows Perez Molina winning a likely Nov. 4 runoff 53% to 47%. Perez Molina has shot ahead with a campaign that promises to rule with a ‘firm hand’ and crack down on crime.

Many observers say Colom performed poorly in a recent debate. He also has been the target of a vicious series of Internet and media attacks. In July, he issued a news release denouncing rumors that he was a devil worshiper.

Posted by Héctor Tobar in Mexico City