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Chile President Bachelet Approval Jumps To Record 80% In Oct Poll

SANTIAGO -(Dow Jones)- Chilean President Michelle Bachelet's approval rating rose to a record 80% in October, from 76% the previous month, according to an opinion poll published Thursday by conservative polling institute Adimark GfK.

"Bachelet has become one of the highest rated leaders in the Americas and possibly the world," Adimark said, adding that since these types of polls have been conducted no Chilean leader had ever obtained such a high rating level.

In October 2008, at the onset of the global financial crisis, Bachelet obtained a 42% approval rating.

Her disapproval rating, meanwhile, fell to 13% from 16% the previous month.

Adimark attributed Bachelet's record approval rating to the perception of how she and her cabinet have handled the economic crisis.

"Undoubtedly, the President's success is related to the perception of the management of the threatening international economic crisis that got started in the last quarter of 2008," Adimark said.

Of all the members of Bachelet's cabinet, Finance Minister Andres Velasco has the highest approval rating, at 76%. In last month's poll, Velasco obtained a 67% approval rating.

Other cabinet members didn't fare as well as Velasco, with Foreign Affairs Minister Mariano Fernandez obtaining a 40% approval rating, down from 43% in September and Interior Minister Edmundo Perez Yoma garnering a 44% approval, versus 41% a month ago.

The government as a whole obtains 69% approval, up sharply from 64% in last month's poll.

In January, Chile unveiled a $4 billion fiscal stimulus package that included direct transfers to lower income families. Most of these transfers were made in March. In her annual May 21 "state of the nation" speech, Bachelet announced additional transfers to lower income families.

The stimulus package was financed with funds from one of the sovereign wealth funds where the government saved the windfall from high copper prices in recent years. Chile is the world's largest copper producer.

In terms of how the president is handling specific issues, Bachelet rates highest with regards to the economy, with a 74% approval rating, up from 69% the previous month.

As to foreign affairs, 70% approve of her performance, up from 69% the previous month. She scores lowest with regard to crime, where she obtains only an 12% approval rating, the same as in September.

In terms of specific characteristics attributed to Chile's president, 95% see Bachelet as "loved by Chileans," 94% say she's "respected," and 88% say she's " credible." In addition, 84% say she has "the capacity to face crisis situations."

Despite the positive perceptions regarding Bachelet's personal characteristics and her approval rating, the presidential candidate of her governing center-left Concertacion coalition hasn't been able to garner the same support for his bid. Former president and current contender Eduardo Frei is trailing behind conservative opposition candidate Sebastian Pinera according to recently released voter intention polls conducted by other pollsters.

Adimark's nationwide telephone survey of 1,109 people was conducted Oct. 5-31. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.

Pollster Web site: http://www.adimark.cl

-By Carolina Pica, Dow Jones Newswires; 56-2-820-4244; carolina.pica@ dowjones.com

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