yo yo yo search it!

Monday, January 16, 2006

chile has it's first woman president!

i don't know much about her so i cannot say HOO-RAY just yet...

Bachelet is Chile's first woman presidentMon Jan 16, 2006 4:23 AM IST
By Pav Jordan
SANTIAGO, Chile (Reuters) - A torture victim in the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship, a former defense minister and a medical doctor, socialist Michelle Bachelet parlayed her ability to connect with voters into becoming Chile's first woman president.
Her challenger, rightist billionaire Sebastian Pinera, conceded shortly after first returns in Sunday's election showed Bachelet winning more than 53 percent of the votes.
Bachelet, also a former health minister, is a socialist from the center-left coalition that has governed Chile since the end of the 1973-1990 Pinochet regime.
"Together we recovered democracy for Chile," Bachelet, the front-runner during the campaign, said in a presidential debate. "Now I invite you to be a part of another historic moment by electing Chile's first ever woman president. Let's make history."
A poll this month showed Bachelet, known for her charisma when she meets one-on-one with voters, winning high marks for honesty and trustworthiness, and with a huge lead over Pinera among lower-class women.
She had failed to win more than 50 percent of the vote needed for an outright victory in a four-way first round presidential race in December.
Bachelet is a separated mother of three and her liberal social ideas at times clash with Chile's conservative elite, but business leaders trust her to carry on the prudent economic policies of her mentor, outgoing President Ricardo Lagos..................

No comments: