Chile officially backs Michelle Bachelet candidacy for UN top job

Latin America's biggest countries, Mexico and Brazil, on Monday backed former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet's bid to become the first woman to head the United Nations.

Chile's outgoing President Gabriel Boric made the announcement following concerns that Bachelet's candidacy could be undermined by right-wing president-elect José Antonio Kast, due to take office next month.

In a joint statement, Chile, Mexico and Brazil, all under leftist governments for now, said Bachelet's candidacy "reflects our countries' shared desire to contribute actively to strengthening the multilateral system and to promote leadership capable of meeting today's challenges."

Bachelet, 74, has been a trailblazer for Latin America: the first woman to serve as defence minister and the first to become Chilean president, serving two terms from 2006 to 2010 and 2014-18.

She has also served as the UN high commissioner for Human Rights and the first head of the then-newly created UN Women agency.

Last year, Boric nominated her for the UN's top job of secretary-general.

Bachelet does not yet know whether she can count on Kast's support, and will also be seeking the backing of Washington, where President Donald Trump has been railing against leftist Latin American governments and leaders.

The UN, which turns 81 years old this year, has never had a woman at the helm and only one Latin American – Peruvian diplomat Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, who served as secretary-general from 1982 to 1991.

The post traditionally rotates between world regions, with Latin America next in line as Portuguese António Guterres' term comes to an end. 

"President Bachelet's candidacy, which has already been registered with the United Nations, will be presented jointly with our sister countries Brazil and Mexico," Boric told reporters on Monday.  

Three other women from Latin America and the Caribbean are in the running for the UN top job: Costa Rican Rebeca Grynspan, secretary-general of the UN Conference on Trade and Development; Mexican Environment Minister Alicia Barcena; and Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley.

The other candidate is International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi from Argentina.

– TIMES/AFP