President José Antonio Kast announced Chile's withdrawal of support for Michelle Bachelet's candidacy as UN Secretary-General, citing inviability due to dispersed Latin American candidacies. Bachelet confirmed she will continue with backing from Brazil and Mexico. Opposition voiced annoyance but no specific threats.
On Tuesday, March 24, 2026, the Chilean government under President José Antonio Kast officially announced the withdrawal of sponsorship for former President Michelle Bachelet's candidacy as UN Secretary-General. The decision followed an assessment of the electoral context, marked by 'dispersion of candidacies from Latin American countries and differences with relevant actors,' according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As a gesture, Chile will abstain from backing other candidates if Bachelet proceeds, government sources told La Tercera. Kast personally informed Bachelet during a La Moneda meeting the previous Friday, delaying the public announcement until that day while she was abroad. Foreign Minister Francisco Pérez-Mackenna stressed, 'We absolutely respect her decision to continue campaigning,' adding the government will work with whoever is elected. Government spokesperson Mara Sedini described it as a 'diplomatic decision' due to lack of conditions for agreements. Bachelet replied in a statement: 'I understand that foreign policy definitions can vary with new administrations. My willingness to contribute to this challenge remains intact; I will continue joint work with Brazil and Mexico.' The bid, presented in September 2025 and formalized in February 2026 by Gabriel Boric's administration, lacked prior coordination with the incoming government, which criticized the absence of notification on Brazil and Mexico's support despite invitations to the March 11 handover. PS President and Senator Paulina Vodanovic lamented the withdrawal as a 'failure of Chilean diplomacy' and a shift in opposition mood but ruled out obstructionism: 'There is no intention to be obstructionists, but there is a change in the mood.' A group of former foreign ministers, including Heraldo Muñoz and Ignacio Walker, backed Bachelet in a letter, calling it an 'international embarrassment' and highlighting its viability due to her prestige and transversal support for a woman in the role.
