Former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet has withdrawn her candidacy for United Nations Secretary-General, stepping aside in the race to succeed Antonio Guterres.
In a recorded message, the 74-year-old Bachelet said she had no regrets about the decision, arguing that her candidacy had helped strengthen the view that the next UN Secretary-General should be a woman from Latin America.
Following her withdrawal, former Costa Rican vice-president Rebeca Grynspan is widely seen as the front-runner to succeed Guterres after securing the strongest backing in the most recent informal vote in the UN Security Council.
The Security Council will recommend a candidate who secures the support of at least nine of its 15 members and does not face a veto from any of the five permanent members - the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France. The final decision rests with the UN General Assembly.
Source: AMNA
