Michelle Bachelet and daughter

It's almost unbelievable. The people of Chile have elected their first female president. More importantly, Michelle Bachelet is a single mother and a survivor of Pinochet's torture. That makes her victory even sweeter, because she has defied the worldwide trend of the single-mother-hating radical right, which in country after country has initiated coups and fixed elections to install governments of the corporations, by the corporations, and for the corporations.

Bachelet has declared that she will take advantage of record copper prices to improve education and conditions for the less fortunate. What would her opponent, conservative billionaire Sebastian Pinera, have done with all that booty? Trickled it down to the poor? Hah!

Michelle Bachelet joins President José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero of Spain as just about the only leaders on this planet who genuinely acknowledge the existence, the worth, and the hopes and dreams of all human beings.

Is this the road forward? With people finally waking up and taking responsibility for the policies that affect their own well being? Let's hope so.

South America seems to be the mother lode continent for repudiation of the right. There is indigenous Amerindian Evo Morales, the new president of Bolivia, who may or may not survive the compromises of office. And who can not love Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, if for no other reason than he keeps dodging Dubya's bullets.

But for today, all congratulations go to Michelle Bachelet. Por Chile. Por La Gente.

Links:
Chile elects socialist president
Chile elects first female president
Michelle Bachelet Official Site
Michelle Presidente
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