Lula, after meeting with Bachelet: "Her experience qualifies her to be the first Latin American woman to lead the United Nations."

The President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio "Lula" da Silva, reaffirmed on Monday his support for the candidacy of former President Michelle Bachelet to assume the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), following an official meeting with the former head of state at the Palácio do Planalto in Brasília. The meeting, which lasted approximately one hour, is part of a diplomatic effort led by the former head of state to gather international support for the process of selecting the successor to the current UN Secretary-General, António Guterres. After the meeting, Lula publicly highlighted the political and international career of the former Chilean head of state and stated that she possesses the necessary qualifications to lead the multilateral organization. "Today, Monday, I received the former President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, to discuss her candidacy for the position of Secretary-General of the UN. We discussed several issues on the international agenda and the role that a reformed UN needs to play in promoting peace and sustainable development, as well as strengthening multilateralism," he said. The Brazilian president added that "her experience as a head of state and her deep knowledge of the UN qualify her to be the first Latin American woman to lead the organization." Key Meeting in Brasília The meeting between Lula and Bachelet took place shortly after the Brazilian president returned from the United States, where he held official activities and political meetings following his visit to Washington. The meeting in Brasília also occurs at a relevant time for the candidacy of the former Chilean head of state, especially after the government of President José Antonio Kast decided to withdraw the official support that Chile had initially given to her candidacy during the administration of former President Gabriel Boric. Despite this, Brazil and Mexico have publicly maintained their support for Bachelet. In fact, Lula had previously stated that the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights "has a solid track record and the most outstanding qualifications for the position." The Brazilian president has also highlighted her experience as President of Chile for two terms, as well as her positions as Executive Director of UN Women and High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Race for the Secretary-General It should be remembered that on April 21st, the former head of state appeared before the 193 member states of the UN General Assembly, where she defended her candidacy and presented her main programmatic guidelines. On that occasion, she began her speech by thanking Brazil and Mexico for their support. "I am deeply moved by the trust you have placed in me at this moment of danger and hope," she said then. During that presentation, the former president outlined an agenda focused on renewing multilateralism, protecting human rights, reforming the organization's institutions, and the need to strengthen the connection between the United Nations and its citizens. Other candidates in the race to succeed Guterres include Argentine diplomat Rafael Grossi, Costa Rican economist Rebeca Grynspan, and former Senegalese President Macky Sall.