Chile’s Bachelet quits race to be next UN chief

Michelle Bachelet, the former president of Chile, withdrew her candidacy for the position of United Nations secretary-general on Saturday, weeks after a straw poll showed her in second to last place among eight candidates.

“Today I announced that I have decided not to continue with my candidacy for the position of secretary-general of the United Nations,” Bachelet, who served as Chile’s first female leader, said in a video posted on her social media accounts.

“Some may believe that the time was not right for a candidacy like the one I sought to represent. I do not regret having taken on this great challenge,” she said.

Bachelet stressed that by running for the top UN post, she had helped spark debate “that the next secretary-general should be a woman from Latin America”.

So far in three polls as part of the informal process to pick the next UN chief, the 15-member Security Council twice placed Costa Rica’s former vice-president Rebeca Grynspan in the lead.

Guyanese ex-foreign minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett placed first in the third poll.

Bachelet was initially nominated last February by the administration of then-president Gabriel Boric, and supported by the leftist leaders of Mexico and Brazil.

But the left-leaning 74-year-old’s candidacy lost momentum after Chile’s new leader, far-right President Jose Antonio Kast, withdrew his backing.

Earlier this month at a university event, Bachelet had appeared to recognize her underdog status, joking about her slim chances of leading the global body.

No woman has led the United Nations in its 80-year history, and only one Latin American has served as secretary-general: Javier Perez de Cuellar of Peru, at the helm from 1982 to 1991.

According to unwritten practice — one that is not always followed — the top position rotates among geographic regions. This time, it would be Latin America’s turn.

Bachelet’s withdrawal leaves four women and three men in the race to succeed the current UN chief, 77-year-old Antonio Guterres of Portugal, who completes his second five-year term on Dec 31.