Kast Withdraws Chile’s Support for Bachelet’s UN Bid

Chile’s President José Antonio Kast withdrew his government’s support for Michelle Bachelet’s candidacy to become the next Secretary-General of the United Nations on Tuesday, ending months of uncertainty surrounding the nomination initially championed by the previous administration.

The decision follows a meeting between Kast and Bachelet at the presidential palace, La Moneda, last Friday, where the president reportedly informed the former two-term Chilean leader of his intention to reverse the endorsement provided by Gabriel Boric. Sources within the palace indicated that an immediate public announcement was avoided at Bachelet’s request, as she was traveling outside of the country.

According to government sources, the move came after a review of Bachelet’s candidacy by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Chilean government cited a fragmented field of candidates from Latin America and disagreements with key stakeholders as reasons for deeming Bachelet’s bid “unviable,” according to a statement released by the ministry.

The announcement surprised opposition parties, who have been focused on addressing public concerns over rising fuel prices and the government’s mitigation measures. However, officials within Kast’s administration insist the decision was made several days prior and was not intended to divert attention from domestic issues.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Chile would cease actively promoting Bachelet’s candidacy. However, it added that, “in consideration of the trajectory of the former president and should she decide to continue with her postulation, Chile will abstain from supporting any other candidate in this election process.”

This gesture comes after Kast had previously indicated he might consider backing an alternative candidate. The decision to withdraw support was not unexpected, according to sources within the government, particularly following statements from Arturo Squella, the president of the Republican Party, who had previously declared Bachelet’s candidacy “dead.”

Kast had previously criticized the process by which Bachelet’s candidacy was initially advanced, alleging that the Boric administration did not engage in consultations with the incoming government. He claimed that his team was not formally notified of Bachelet’s registration as a candidate, nor were they informed when she secured the support of Brazil and Mexico.

Pressure to withdraw support also came from within the right-wing coalition, with parties including the UDI, Libertarios, and Republicans urging Kast not to endorse Bachelet’s bid. This pressure intensified after Bachelet did not attend Kast’s inauguration on March 11th.

Prior to the decision, Kast had attempted to schedule meetings with the presidents of Brazil and Mexico, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Claudia Sheinbaum, both of whom were invited to the inauguration. While a bilateral meeting with Lula was initially planned, the Brazilian president ultimately canceled his visit. Government sources suggest this lack of engagement influenced the decision not to formally communicate the change in position to Brasilia and Mexico City.

The Chilean government also considered the possibility that the United States or another permanent member of the UN Security Council might veto Bachelet’s candidacy, given her association with progressive political ideologies.

Sources close to Bachelet expressed surprise at the announcement, stating they were unaware of the details of the conversation between the former president and Kast last Friday. It remains unclear whether Bachelet will issue a public statement regarding the withdrawal of support.