Chile Elects a Billionaire President

HAVANA TIMES, Jan. 17 — Billionaire Sebastian Piñera won a close election Sunday for the Chilean presidency over governing coalition candidate Eduardo Frei.

Cuba’s Prensa Latina news agency reported the last tally showing Piñera with 51.61 percent to Frei’s 48.38.

The new president promised in his campaign to create a million new jobs during his four year term.  He had lost to the current president, Michele Bachelet, in the 2005 elections.

Piñera is the owner of the Colo Colo soccer team and LAN-Chile airlines among numerous other business interests.  PL notes he was backed by an alliance of rightwing parties while the center-left coalition that elected Bachelet supported Frei.