Chile: Touchy-feely Bachelet preaches atypical warcry

Chile’s leading presidential candidate, leftist Michelle Bachelet, does not preach change, the archetypal mantra of the aspiring Latin American leader. That would be a tough sell since outgoing president Ricardo Lagos is a fellow socialist and has a 60% approval rating. Instead, she speaks of making Chile “friendlier, nicer, more loving”. Well ahead in the polls and expected to win the December elections, the 54-year-old doctor could be forgiven for feeling there is little work to do after Chile’s 15 years of economic growth, stability and prosperity in a region better known for its political turmoil.