Michelle Bachelet, the former president of Chile, has withdrawn her candidacy for the position of United Nations secretary-general after struggling in preliminary polls, where she placed second to last among eight candidates. In a video announcement, she acknowledged the challenge of her candidacy but expressed no regrets, emphasizing that her campaign ignited a discussion about the need for a woman from Latin America in the role.
Currently, Costa Rica’s former vice president, Rebeca Grynspan, and Guyana’s ex-foreign minister, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, lead the polls. Bachelet was nominated by the previous Chilean administration and backed by leftist leaders in the region but faced a setback when recent political changes in Chile diminished her support.
As no woman has ever led the UN and only one Latin American has served in that role, Bachelet’s withdrawal narrows the contest to four women and three men aiming to succeed Antonio Guterres, who ends his term on December 31.
