Santiago, Sept. 20 (SANA) Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet announced Saturday that she was withdrawing her candidacy for United Nations secretary-general, saying her campaign helped advance discussions on the possibility of electing the first woman and first Latin American woman to lead the international organization.
“I announce my decision not to move forward with my candidacy for the position of United Nations secretary-general,” Bachelet said, according to Agence France-Presse.
She added that some believed the timing was not suitable for the vision she sought to present, but said she had no regrets about taking on the challenge.
Bachelet’s withdrawal came after the third round of informal consultations held by the U.N. Security Council on Sept. 18 as part of the process to select a successor to current Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose second and final term ends on Dec. 31.
Former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan ranked first in the third round of consultations, followed by Guyana’s Ambassador to the United Nations Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett.
Chile, Brazil and Mexico formally nominated Bachelet for the position in February. The Chilean government later withdrew its nomination in March after President Jose Antonio Kast took office, while Bachelet continued her campaign with support from Brazil and Mexico.
The United Nations has never had a woman serve as secretary-general since its establishment more than eight decades ago. Only one official from Latin America has previously held the post, Peru’s Javier Perez de Cuellar, who served as secretary-general from 1982 to 1991.
Following Bachelet’s withdrawal, seven candidates remain in the race, including four women: Rebeca Grynspan, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Maria Fernanda Espinosa and Ivonne A-Baki; and three men: Rafael Grossi, Oulare Otunnu and Macky Sall.
The selection process requires the U.N. Security Council to recommend a candidate to the General Assembly for approval. The process requires agreement among the council’s five permanent members.
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