Former Foreign Minister and Ambassador to the United States Mariano Fernández accused the current Chilean administration of "negligence" regarding Michelle Bachelet’s campaign for the United Nations top post. Fernández, speaking on La Tercera’sDesde la Redacciónprogram, confirmed that he and six other former foreign ministers have organized a support group to fill a diplomatic void left by the government.
Fernández described Bachelet as the "favorite candidate" for the position, citing her previous experience as head of UN Women and her tenure as High Commissioner for Human Rights. He specifically pointed to her record of issuing difficult reports on China and Venezuela as clear evidence of her suitability for the role.
Diplomacy in the era of power politics
Beyond domestic politics, Fernández leveled sharp criticism at U.S. President Donald Trump’s approach to international relations. He argued that the current U.S. administration is abandoning international law in favor of a "naked power" doctrine that emboldens authoritarian regimes globally.
"The President of the U.S., the first power of the world, is transforming the world, with international law and rules, into a world of naked power," Fernández said. He claimed that this shift provides political cover to dictatorships by creating external enemies, which he argued ultimately strengthens regimes like that of Iran by fostering internal cohesion.
Regarding the UN campaign, Fernández dismissed the government's official excuse for withholding support—the presence of too many candidates—as disingenuous. He noted that while there were 13 candidates in a previous election cycle, only three are currently in the running, making the administration's stance difficult to justify.
Fernández highlighted the active support Bachelet has received from Brazil and Mexico, which are effectively acting as campaign leads for her bid. He expects the momentum to continue as the candidacy process moves forward toward the April 21 presentation at the United Nations.
