MEXICO CITY – Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Wednesday that her nation will maintain its backing for Michelle Bachelet’s campaign to become the next United Nations Secretary-General, despite Chile’s decision to withdraw support for its former president just one day earlier.
During her regular press briefing, Sheinbaum revealed she plans to have a telephone conversation soon with Bachelet, who previously served twice as Chile’s president. The nomination was originally put forth jointly by Mexico, Brazil, and Chile before right-wing President Jose Antonio Kast took office earlier this month.
“We believe that Bachelet is the ideal person to lead the United Nations, and we will continue to support her,” Sheinbaum declared during the news conference.
On Tuesday, Bachelet announced her intention to press forward with her candidacy, relying on continued backing from Mexico and Brazil. Brazil has not yet issued a statement regarding Chile’s withdrawal of support.
Sheinbaum praised Bachelet’s qualifications, stating: “She is a woman who seeks peace in the world, who has a vision for building rights, for the peaceful resolution of conflicts, for rebuilding the U.N. as an organization dedicated to resolving international conflicts, and establishing a bill of rights for all the people in the world.”
Chile announced Tuesday it would remain neutral and refrain from endorsing any candidate after pulling its support for Bachelet. President Kast has criticized his predecessor, left-wing leader Gabriel Boric, for initially backing Bachelet’s campaign.
Bachelet made history as Chile’s first woman president and is currently considered among the leading contenders to replace current Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Her extensive UN experience includes serving as the organization’s high commissioner for human rights from 2018 to 2022 and as executive director of UN Women between 2010 and 2013.
