Former Foreign Ministers Accuse Kast Administration of Undermining Bachelet’s UN Candidacy

Original article: “Gesto hostil” y “daño evidente”: excancilleres acusan que Gobierno de Kast perjudicó candidatura de Bachelet a la ONU

A group of former foreign ministers and undersecretaries have accused José Antonio Kast‘s administration of damaging Michelle Bachelet’s candidacy for the United Nations Secretary-General, describing the government’s withdrawal of support as a «hostile gesture» and «evident harm» to the former president.

In a public statement released this Monday, the former officials asserted that retracting support for «a distinguished compatriot was an inexplicable and unprecedented act» that «will be remembered in the annals of Chile’s diplomatic history.»

They indicated that the far-right president’s decision «diverted from the service of the principles, objectives, and enduring interests of a State foreign policy.»

Furthermore, they noted that the government’s withdrawal of support «represented a hostile gesture that caused evident damage to the candidacy,» raising doubts among countries that had previously expressed interest in backing her. They warned that «the public will know how to assess this episode.»

The former foreign ministers and undersecretaries who supported Bachelet’s candidacy to succeed Portuguese António Guterres as UN Secretary-General expressed their respect and appreciation for her decision to withdraw her candidacy.

In the document, the signatories—Cristian Barros, Gloria De La Fuente, Mariano Fernández, Ximena Fuentes, José Miguel Insulza, Heraldo Muñoz, Edgardo Riveros, Antonia Urrejola, Juan Gabriel Valdés, Alberto Van Klaveren, and Ignacio Walker—described Bachelet as «the best candidate for Chile for such a high responsibility» and highlighted her record as two-time President of the Republic, Executive Director of UN Women, and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, calling her contributions «unmatched in Chilean diplomatic history» and a reflection of her «strong commitment to the organization’s best values.»

«We acknowledge her admirable engagement during the campaign, going against the current, visiting nearly all member countries of the Security Council, and participating in numerous panels, roundtables, and interviews throughout the application process, with her insights on the necessary reform of the UN to make it more efficient in its essential tasks,» they stated in the text.

Additionally, they emphasized that «above all,» they appreciate how the former president managed to elevate «as the cornerstone» of her candidacy a series of «fundamental principles for Chile and a significant part of the international community.» They specifically referred to «multilateralism to address challenges to peace and security, respect for international law and the sovereignty of member states, sustainable development, democracy, and human rights, norms currently under siege in the global landscape.»

The statement noted that, with the exception of the United States, high-ranking officials from all permanent members of the UN Security Council met with the former president to hear her proposals.

In contrast, the letter revealed that the request from the foreign ministers of Brazil and Mexico for a senior official from President Donald Trump’s administration to meet with Bachelet «was not even answered,» while the U.S. ambassador to the UN met with the majority of the candidates but denied a meeting to the former president.

«We consider these facts highly significant,» they stated.

The signatories expressed their «sincere gratitude» to the governments of Brazil and Mexico, «who took on their candidacy with loyalty and conviction as if it were that of a compatriot, demonstrating regionalism and solidarity.»