Patriotic Union In Doubt; Game Distracts Legislators

• The future of the Patriotic Union Party (UP) is up in the air as José Miguel Corrales has announced he will no longer be the party’s presidential candidate. Corrales said from the start that he was only interested in being a candidate for an alliance of parties, which is no longer considered a political possibility. The party’s founder, Humberto Arce, may step forward as the candidate. Political analyst and UCR professor Luis Guillermo Solís, who left the National Liberation Party in January, told the daily La Nación he will not be a legislative candidate for UP, despite suggestions by Arce to the contrary.• Legislative Assembly President Gerardo González, of the Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC), had to call various times Monday for a vote on a motion of the Permanent Fiscal Reform Package because his fellow legislators were busy in the cafeteria watching a soccer game between Costa Rica and Ghana, La Nación reported. González eventually ordered the television turned off and the cafeteria door closed to allow legislative discussion of the long-awaited tax plan to continue.• Legislator Gloria Valerín announced her departure from PUSC last week. She told La Nación she is disappointed with party leadership and with the administration of President Abel Pacheco, who she says abandoned his responsibilities from the start. She also said she will likely resign from politics altogether. Valerín has in recent months been at odds with Unity members, who have said her verbal aggression is disrespectful (TT, July 5).