Colombian President Gustavo Petro Backs Michelle Bachelet for UN Secretary-General

Original article: “He decidido respaldar a Michelle Bachelet”: Petro se la juega por la exmandataria chilena para liderar la ONU

The Colombian president Gustavo Petro has officially endorsed former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet in her bid to succeed António Guterres and become the first female Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN).

“As the President of the Republic of Colombia, I have decided to support Michelle Bachelet as the new Secretary-General of the United Nations,” the progressive leader wrote on his X account, accompanied by a photo of himself with Bachelet at the Nariño Palace, the seat of the Executive in Bogotá.

Bachelet’s campaign to lead the UN is gaining momentum with firm support from Brazil, Mexico, and now Colombia, despite the withdrawal of backing from the government of José Antonio Kast.

Recently, Bachelet was welcomed by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum at the National Palace in Mexico City, where she publicly reiterated her government’s support for Bachelet’s candidacy.

“A few months ago, we announced our support for her to head the United Nations General Secretariat,” Sheinbaum stated after the meeting, describing Bachelet as a brilliant woman and a promoter of peace with development and justice.

Meanwhile, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has been unequivocal in supporting her nomination, highlighting the exceptional career of the former president.

According to the Brazilian leader, Bachelet carries “a solid background and the ideal credentials for the position, having served as president of her country twice, as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and as the Executive Director of UN Women.”

Additionally, he noted that she possesses all the qualifications to be the first Latin American woman to head the organization, emphasizing her profile for promoting peace and multilateralism.

Bachelet Advocates for Her UN Candidacy with Human Rights at the Forefront

At the end of April, Michelle Bachelet defended her candidacy before the United Nations General Assembly, delivering a message centered on dialogue and the defense of human rights, where she called for “not to accept despair.”

In light of the lack of support from Kast’s government, she expressed gratitude for the “confidence” and support received for her candidacy from Lula da Silva and Claudia Sheinbaum, “in this moment of danger and hope.”

During her address, she reaffirmed that her objective is to “recover the urgent need for dialogue”.

“Deliberations and multilateral cooperation have been the functional platform upon which this organization was built and remain the bridge to the future,” she reminded attendees.

Moreover, she stressed the need to transform the United Nations into a more modern institution focused on “real, sustainable, and verifiable results, with efficiency in management, coherence, and trusted leadership.”

The former president indicated that her candidacy aims to address an international context marked by conflicts, inequalities, and institutional weakening.

Antonio Guterres will conclude his term on December 31 and among the other names mentioned to succeed him are Costa Rican Rebeca Grynspan, Ecuadorian María Fernanda Espinosa, and Argentine Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

If elected, Bachelet would become the first woman to lead the UN in its 80-year history and the second person from Latin America, following Peruvian Javier Pérez de Cuéllar who held the position from 1982 to 1991.