Sont les mots qui vont tres bien ensemble.......

Today is one of the saddest days in Chile's history. I say one of because the worst is yet to come. Today we begin our farewell to one of the greatest players in Chilean history since Bernardo O'Higgins, the Irishman who liberated Chile from the Spanish.

Depending on which one you read, polls put Michelle Bachelet's popularity rating as high as 80%. Amazing when you think that she's been in power for four years and she's a woman. Unfortunately, due to Chile's ridiculous law that she can't run for a consecutive term, she will not be president for the next four years at least. I won't purport to know the intricacies of the policies she introduced or the effect of them. One thing I can say is that she has highlighted the inequalities between the sexes and worked tirelessly to rectify that imbalance in machista Chile. She has played her part by building and trying to maintain a cabinet of 50% women.

Obviously her work is nowhere near complete. And while her labours may not have yet borne fruit, the green shoots of change are evident. Four years is a short time to change a mentality that is so ingrained in a culture. Besides she has had other side projects to work on such as forging trade relations with China, trying to get Chile into the OECD and getting the country through a global recession.

Ms. Bachelet is exactly the type of person you would want to run your country. Being a woman, she doesn't suffer from that macho bullshit you get from male politicians but she's not nearly as hysterical as a Hiliary Clinton say. She's separated - no happy families bullshit for cameras, only honesty. She doesn't do religion, only she makes the decisions - Hallelujah. She has been a working parent all her life and she's a pediatrician. She speaks at least five languages. When she speaks, you listen. She doesn't use maxims or sound bites. She doesn't care if you like her or not. She's intelligent, compassionate and fair.

So, what are the world saying about current events in Chile?
An excellent article in The Guardian laments the departure of Bachelet and talks about the legacy she leaves in her wake. The BBC gives a run down on the candidates and expects the toothy one, Piñera, to win. The Irish Times goes on to say that despite Bachelet's popularity, it is doubtful much of it will be transferred to her party colleague, Frei. This is also mentioned in The New York Times but the main thrust of their article is the disillusionment amongst the youth labelled the Children of Democracy. While there is nothing new about 18 to 21 year olds being nonchalant about politics, the statistic of only 9.2% of 18 to 29 year olds being registered to vote is shocking. In Chile it is not compulsory to be registered to vote. It is, however, compulsory to vote if you are registered.

On a personal note, two of my private students are young professionals. Both are registered to vote and therefore must* turn up at the ballot. They are also disillusioned. To articulate their frustration one will vote for all candidates on the ballot and the other will hand in a blank ballot. Both ballots will be rendered spoilt.
*A registered voter can opt out of voting but only after providing a satisfactory excuse to the local police station.

In Australia, where there is a substantial Chilean community, The Sydney Morning Herald, via British and French media sources, looks at Pinochet's favourite grandson who is looking to keep the name and values of his grandfather alive. The original article is from The Sunday Telegraph. It makes very interesting reading. Rodrigo García Pinochet is not running for president, merely parliament.

From the motherland, the article in El País is hardly worth reading. While always a worthy news source, the article is as sterile as the BBC and Irish Times pieces.

Perhaps, the worst article comes from Al Jazeera's English language website. A year's supply of empanadas goes to the person who can spot the very obvious mistake in the article, assuming of course that they haven't rectified it in the meantime.

I would like to see another four years of Bachelet. I would like to see if she can further the the cause of women's rights in this country because I doubt the next incumbent will care.

It makes my skin crawl when I see and hear what the men in this country do and say to women and girls. I admire the female form greatly. I like to steal a glance at a shapely figure or a pretty face when I can. These simple things in life are free and harmless. Harmless because I don't make anybody feel uncomfortable. I don't make any comments for the world to hear. I don't whistle from across the street. I don't hang out a car window and make kissy-kissy sounds and nearly take out a cyclist in my endeavours to ruin a young Chilena's day. Outside Chile, if I got 'caught' with one of my split second glances, I would give a sheepish smile and turn a dark shade of red. Here, I would just feel sick to my stomach. I would feel that the woman of my 'affections' would just see me as another lecherous creep.

Would another four years of Bachelet have enough of an effect to trickle down to the Neanderthals and make them see women as subjects and not objects? Doubtful, but it may empower women to deal with these situations. For sure, another term would continue the introduction of new legislation to drag this country into the 21st century with regards to attitudes towards women. Domestic violence against women is a major problem here. Not only because it happens in the first place, but the way the authorities deal with it and the reluctance of victims to come forward.

It is doubtful a new president will be elected in the next 24 hours but there will be a new man at the helm at the end of January after a new round of elections on 17th January. That's when the tears will really start to flow.