A group of Republican lawmakers led by Rep. Chris Smith called on Secretary of State Marco Rubio on March 26 to use the United States’ veto power to block former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet from becoming the next United Nations secretary-general.
The letter, obtained by The Daily Wire, argued that Bachelet’s record promoting abortion policies makes her an unsuitable candidate for the role. The lawmakers said her approach undermines national sovereignty and is inconsistent with U.S. pro-life policies.
“Bachelet’s resume reveals a pro-abortion zealot intent on using political authority to override state sovereignty in favor of extreme agendas,” the lawmakers wrote. “She has both overtly attacked pro-life laws — including those of the United States — and sought to weaken them through intimidation and coercion.” They added, “Bachelet has repeatedly prioritized an extreme abortion agenda at the expense of state sovereignty. She is an unsuitable candidate, and the United States, as a permanent member of the Security Council, should veto Dr. Bachelet’s selection.”
Bachelet previously served as president of Chile, where she authored legislation legalizing abortion, and was also United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and executive director of UN Women. As High Commissioner, she criticized the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022 and described restrictive abortion laws as threats to human rights.
The letter rejected these positions: “The truth is that killing an unborn child by abortion can never be construed to be a human right,” it stated. “Every person — born and unborn — deserves to have his or her human rights secured and protected.” Lawmakers also noted that Bachelet’s views conflict with international agreements such as the Geneva Consensus Declaration signed by more than 30 nations stating there is no international right to abortion.
In addition, Republicans criticized Bachelet’s handling of alleged human rights abuses in China after what they described as a “watered-down report” following her visit to Xinjiang shortly before leaving office at the UN Human Rights agency: “In an appalling failure of leadership, Dr. Bachelet crumbled under pressure and enabled the CCP to manipulate the visit for its own advantage,” they wrote.
Chris Smith currently serves in Congress representing New Jersey’s 4th district since replacing Frank Thompson in 1981 according to official records. He was born in Rahway, New Jersey in 1953 and lives in Manchester Township as reported by NJ.com. Smith graduated from The College of New Jersey with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1975 according to his alma mater.
