WASHINGTON – The US envoy to the United Nations, Mr Mike Waltz, appeared to torpedo the candidacy of former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet to be the next leader of the world body on April 15 by saying he shared a US senator’s concerns about her fitness for the job.
At a US Senate committee hearing, Republican Senator Pete Ricketts of Nebraska charged that Ms Bachelet had pulled punches as UN human rights chief in a 2022 report in failing to label China’s actions against Uighur Muslims as genocide, and has also promoted abortion as a fundamental human right.
Mr Waltz said he was not currently in a position to say whom the United States would support to replace UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and whom it would oppose.
But he said in response to Mr Ricketts, “I share your concerns.”
He added that he was sure that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also shared the concerns.
A new United Nations secretary-general will be elected this year for a five-year term starting on Jan 1, 2027.
Support of the five permanent veto-wielding members of the UN Security Council – the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France – is vital for a candidate to succeed.
Ms Bachelet also fell foul of China over the Uighur report, which said the detention of Uighurs and other Muslims in the country’s Xinjiang province may constitute crimes against humanity.
A representative for Bachelet’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Mr Waltz said the conventional wisdom and in New York – where the United Nations has its headquarters – was that because there had never been a female secretary-general, or one from Latin America, that the future UN leader should therefore be a Latin American woman.
“We have taken the position of we just need the best,” he said.
“And this institution desperately needs strong, effective leadership.”
Mr Waltz said, “reform, reform, reform… and getting back to basics on peace and security will be at the top of our criteria.”
US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz said he shared a US senator’s concerns about Ms Bachelet’s fitness for the job of UN chief.
PHOTO: REUTERS
So far, four candidates have been nominated, including Ms Bachelet, Chile’s first female head of state, who twice served as president of the South American nation.
In March, Chile withdrew its backing for her candidacy after a change in leadership in the country and a sharp shift to the right, but she said she would press ahead with support from Brazil and Mexico.
Ms Bachelet was UN high commissioner for human rights from 2018-22 and executive director of UN Women from 2010-13.
The other declared candidates are Mr Rafael Grossi, a veteran Argentine diplomat who is currently director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Ms Rebeca Grynspan, a former vice-president of Costa Rica, and Mr Macky Sall, the former president of Senegal.
The candidates are due to take part in interactive dialogues next week at the United Nations that will be broadcast live, starting with Ms Bachelet on April 21. REUTERS