Colombia Presidential Candidate Mockus Has Parkinson's Disease
April 09 2010 - 2:21PM
Dow Jones News
Colombian Green Party presidential hopeful Antanas Mockus, one
of the leading candidates, Friday told local radio that he has
Parkinson's disease.
Mockus is currently second in Colombia's presidential race with
24.8% of voting intentions, behind former Defense Minister Juan
Manuel Santos, with the Party of the U, with 29.5%, according to a
poll commissioned by El Tiempo newspaper and W, a local radio
station, and published Friday.
"Doctors confirm that I have another 12 years of normal life,
thanks to medication," El Tiempo reported Mockus as saying. "I
understand people's concerns, but I hope they don't crucify me for
having an illness that is physical and not mental."
Mockus is an academic and former mayor of Bogota. The elections
will be held on May 30.
-By Matthew Bristow, Dow Jones Newswires; 57-3142983277;
colombia@dowjones.com