Michelle Bachelet
President
Member Economy: Chile

Pediatrician, socialist, mother, politician the conjugation of those elements define Michelle Bachelet Jeria, the first female president in the history of Chile and Latin America. Her life was plagued by the hardships of the political ostracism, asylum in several countries which implied for her to learn to survive and succeed through her adversity. After returning to her homeland during the years of the dictatorship, opportunities were denied to her for “political reasons”.Now standing as head of state and trying to leave those hardships behind, she recognizes the importance of APEC for her country. The accession of Chile to the block in 1994 implied a milestone for the nation’s development, and since that moment the economy started to swell by the subscription of free trade agreements with the USA, China, Korea, etc. That experience and confidence is indeed building a path for similar agreements with Japan and Vietnam.

In her opinion, these trade agreements benefit not only the big enterprises of her country but also the small and medium enterprises. Aside from the welfare generated by the revenues from exports, the Chilean government collects more taxes that help tackle the problem of social inequity and poverty that now equals 18%.

Another vital concern for Mrs. Bachelet is to promote a more active participation of women in Chilean politics; she considers that political parties should be more generous and inclusive towards women participation. Even in the year 2006, there still remain legacies of the past that hinder women’s chances to showcase and apply their capacity for the benefit of their people.We think that president Bachelet is contributing to promote the image of Chile as a stable country. Ever since 1990, every democratic government has followed similar state policies under the premise that reinventing and rebuilding a country every 5 years causes more pain than relief. This axiom has granted prosperity to the South American country and given a place for its wines, fruits, and its copper in the industries of the whole world. This confirms that even if Chile is a small country, it will still be seen as a big player in international affairs.

Prepared by: Jorge Antonio Chávez Mazuelos.