Michelle Bachelet declines her candidacy for the UN Secretary-General
The former President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, has officially confirmed her withdrawal from the race for the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Through a message shared on her social media, the former High Commissioner for Human Rights put an end to her aspirations to lead the international organization, thus closing a chapter marked by geopolitical challenges and a complex electoral landscape.
See Michelle Bachelet’s official post
A message of conviction and principles
Despite the decision, Bachelet stated she does not regret having applied for the position. In her statement, she emphasized that her candidacy sought to bring to the table the need for the next General Secretariat to be held by a woman from Latin America, a point she considers fundamental for the global debate.
I am convinced that it is time to raise my voice for these principles that have been the proud banner of my candidacy. I do not regret having undertaken this great challenge. We contributed to establishing in the global debate that the next Secretary-General must be a woman from Latin America.
Michelle BacheletThe former president especially thanked the constant support of presidents Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, of Brazil, and Claudia Sheinbaum, of Mexico, who firmly supported her proposal from the beginning of the process.
The context of a difficult decision
Bachelet’s decision comes after the results of the non-binding votes recently held within the UN, where her position gradually declined. According to informal polls among the 15 members of the Security Council, the Chilean leader went from occupying fourth place in July to seventh position among eight candidates.
- Political challenges: Bachelet pointed out that current times present strong headwinds against multilateralism and international law.
- Lack of national support: The current Chilean government withdrew its sponsorship last March, arguing that the chances of success were slim.
- Diplomatic management: For months, the former Executive Director of UN Women maintained an intense agenda of meetings with international authorities to present her vision of an independent Secretariat General loyal to the Organization’s Charter.
With this announcement, Bachelet reaffirms her commitment to the principles she defended throughout her career, highlighting that her work was always focused on the defense of democracy and human rights, acting with rigor toward world powers regardless of their size or influence.
