Michelle Bachelet
Who was Michelle Bachelet?
Pediatrician who served as Chile's first female president during two non-consecutive terms (2006-2010, 2014-2018). She later became the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Michelle Bachelet (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Verónica Michelle Bachelet Jeria was born on September 29, 1951, in La Cisterna, Chile. She studied medicine at the University of Chile, becoming a pediatrician and later getting into epidemiology. Her education also took her into military strategy at places like the Academia Nacional de Estudios Políticos y Estratégicos, the Inter-American Defense College, and the Chilean Army War Academy. She studied abroad at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Leipzig University, becoming fluent in several languages, including German, French, and Portuguese, as well as her native Spanish and English.
Bachelet's political career started as Health Minister and later Defense Minister under President Ricardo Lagos. Her role as Defense Minister was significant, as she was one of the few women worldwide in such a position. This role combined her medical and military knowledge, setting her up for higher office. In 2006, she made history by becoming Chile's first female president, winning with 54% of the vote.
Her presidency focused on social reforms and tackling inequality, although she faced challenges like student protests and economic issues. After her first term ended in 2010, Bachelet worked internationally as the first executive director of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, advocating for women's rights globally, drawing from her experience as Chile's first female head of state.
In 2013, Bachelet returned to Chilean politics and was re-elected president with over 62% of the vote, becoming the first Chilean president to be re-elected since 1932. Her second term from 2014 to 2018 focused on education, tax reform, and constitutional changes. After her presidency, she worked internationally as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2018 to 2022, addressing human rights violations worldwide and supporting vulnerable groups. Throughout her career, she has received many honorary doctorates from prestigious institutions like Columbia University, the Sorbonne, and the University of Essex.
Before Fame
Bachelet's early life was shaped by Chile's political turmoil during the 1970s. She went to Westland Middle School and Liceo Nº 1 Javiera Carrera before studying medicine. Her rise to prominence was shaped by personal loss and political awareness during the Pinochet dictatorship, which impacted many Chilean families, including her own.
Her medical training at the University of Chile laid the groundwork for her political career, while her marriage to Jorge Dávalos and being a mother of three anchored her family life. Her decision to study military strategy alongside her medical career set her apart from other politicians and prepared her for the unusual path of serving as Defense Minister before becoming president.
Key Achievements
- First woman to serve as President of Chile, elected twice with increasing vote margins (54% in 2006, 62% in 2013)
- First executive director of UN Women, advocating for global gender equality from 2010-2013
- Served as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2018-2022, addressing human rights violations worldwide
- Only Chilean president re-elected since 1932, demonstrating sustained popular support
- Broke gender barriers as Chile's first female Defense Minister before her presidential terms
Did You Know?
- 01.She is the first person in Chilean history to serve as both Defense Minister and President, breaking gender barriers in two of the country's most traditionally male-dominated positions.
- 02.Bachelet identifies as agnostic and is a separated mother of three, making her profile unusual among Latin American political leaders.
- 03.She received her first honorary doctorate from the University of Brasília in 2006, the same year she became president, and went on to receive honorary doctorates from at least ten international universities.
- 04.Her surname 'Bachelet' is of French origin, reflecting the diverse European immigration to Chile in previous generations.
- 05.She served in three different UN leadership roles: as head of UN Women, as President of Chile during UN General Assembly sessions, and as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| honorary doctor of the University of Brasília | 2006 | — |
| honorary doctorate | 2007 | — |
| honorary doctor of the University of Essex | 2008 | — |
| honorary doctorate of Pompeu Fabra University | 2010 | — |
| honorary doctor of the National University of Córdoba | 2010 | — |
| honorary doctorate | 2010 | — |
| honorary doctorate of the International University Menendez Pelayo | 2010 | — |
| honorary doctorate | 2010 | — |
| honorary doctor of the Sorbonne Nouvelle University | 2010 | — |
| honorary doctorate from Columbia University | 2012 | — |
| Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic | 2007 | — |
| Grand Cross with collar of the Order of Vytautas the Great | 2008 | — |
| honorary doctor of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven | 2015 | — |
| Order of Merit | 2006 | — |
| Order of Bernardo O'Higgins | 2006 | — |
| Order of the Liberator | 2007 | — |
| National Order of San Lorenzo | 2010 | — |
| Knight Grand Cross in the Order of the Netherlands Lion | 2009 | — |
| Grand Cross with Chain of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary (civil) | 2008 | — |
| Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour | 2006 | — |
| Royal Order of the Seraphim | 2016 | — |
| BBC 100 Women | 2017 | — |
| honorary doctor of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations | — | — |
| Grand Cross of the Military Order of Christ | 2009 | — |
| Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Henry | 2007 | — |
| Grand Collar of the Order of Liberty | 2017 | — |
| Collar of the Order of Isabella the Catholic | 2010 | — |
| Collar of the Order of the Aztec Eagle | 2007 | — |
| Collar of the Order of Charles III | 2014 | — |
| Medal of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay | 2006 | — |
| Honorary Companion of the Order of Australia | 2012 | — |
| Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose of Finland | 2007 | — |
| honorary doctorate of University of Burgundy | 2010 | — |
| DAAD Scholarship | 1978 | — |
| Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic | 2004 | — |