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Bachelet to make half her Cabinet women
President-elect Michelle Bachelet pledged to make at least half her Cabinet women and give all Chileans a voice following her election as the conservative Catholic nation's first female leader.
- AP
- Published: 00:00 January 18, 2006
Santiago: President-elect Michelle Bachelet pledged to make at least half her Cabinet women and give all Chileans a voice following her election as the conservative Catholic nation's first female leader.
But the socialist paediatrician took a more moderate line than some of the other leftist leaders recently elected across Latin America, saying she would seek to maintain Chile's economic success and that she supports a US-backed free area as long as it takes into account the region's diversity.
Bachelet, who beat right-leaning businessman Sebastian Pinera 53 per cent to 46 per cent in Sunday's runoff, has come to symbolise Chile's reconciliation after the brutal divisions spawned by the 1973 military coup and 17 years of dictatorship.
"Because I was the victim of hatred, I have dedicated my life to reverse that hatred and turn it into understanding, tolerance and why not say it into love," she said.
But she insisted that she was tough enough to deal with hard-charging male colleagues, rejecting suggestions that coalition party leaders would largely name her Cabinet.
"I will make the decisions. I was the one who was elected," she said. She vowed to form a government that will listen to a broader range of voices and include a lot more women.
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