Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet withdrew her candidacy for United Nations secretary-general on Saturday. The 74-year-old announced the decision in a video posted on Instagram after her support collapsed in recent informal consultations.

Bachelet, who served two terms as Chile's president and later as the UN's high commissioner for human rights, had been nominated by the previous left-leaning Chilean government along with backing from Brazil and Mexico. Her bid aimed to position her as a defender of multilateralism and international law.

The withdrawal followed the third informal straw poll conducted by the UN Security Council on Friday. Bachelet received just one "encourage" vote, 11 "discourage" votes, and three "no opinion" votes. Costa Rica's Rebeca Grynspan led the poll with nine encouraging votes, followed by Guyana's Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett with eight.

Chile's current right-leaning government under President Jose Antonio Kast had already withdrawn official support for Bachelet months earlier, citing the candidacy's lack of viability. Bachelet continued with limited regional backing but ultimately stepped aside as prospects dimmed.

Her exit leaves seven candidates in the contest to succeed Secretary-General António Guterres, whose second term concludes on December 31, 2026. The Security Council process continues with additional candidates still possible.

Bachelet stated she would persist in her international work with the same determination. No woman has ever led the United Nations in its history, and the position has traditionally rotated among regions, with Latin America in line for consideration this cycle.