Michelle Bachelet said "I think so" on Wednesday when asked whether she might seek La Moneda, Chile's presidential palace, for a third time in 2029, according to BioBioChile. The former president laughed as she answered during an interview with TVU. According to that outlet, the remark caught even members of the Partido Socialista (PS, Socialist Party) by surprise.
The question played on the popular saying "no hay segunda sin tercera" (there is no second without a third). Bachelet has governed Chile for two terms and, according to BioBioChile, this is the first time she has explicitly raised the possibility of another presidential run.
The president of the Partido por la Democracia (PPD, Party for Democracy), congressman Raúl Soto, confirmed that the opposition party leaders have a meeting with the former president scheduled for next Thursday. The meeting came about at the invitation of her foundation. According to people close to Bachelet, the meeting had been planned in advance and would focus on other topics.
"We are going to have an in-depth conversation about the state of the country and also about the future," Soto said. The congressman added: "President Bachelet is an important leader for us. We will see in what role. We certainly value her availability."
The Frente Amplio (Broad Front) received the signal with enthusiasm but also caution. Its president, Gael Yeomans, welcomed the fact that "a leader like her is available" and warned that, when it comes to presidential candidacies, "we still have a long way to go."
In the PS, congressman César Valenzuela called Bachelet's availability for a presidential candidacy "good news." From the Partido Comunista (Communist Party), senator Daniel Núñez spoke of "very good news for Chile" and highlighted her "experience and leadership."
The BioBioChile report includes no reactions from the governing coalition. Nor does it specify how many parties will attend the meeting or whether a possible candidacy will be on the agenda.
The gesture comes a week after Bachelet was honored at a tribute in La Pintana, a comuna (municipality) of Santiago. There she issued a warning: "Did you think that after this I was going to go home? That is not going to happen." On that occasion, however, she spoke of contributing to the unity of the progressive camp, without mentioning a candidacy.
The signal reshuffles an opposition that still lacks clear leadership for the next cycle. The cost of putting forward a name so early remains to be seen: the presidential election will be held in 2029, more than three years away. The first concrete test will be next Thursday's meeting with the party presidents.
