Michelle Bachelet was born in Santiago,Chile on September 29, 1951. he second child of archaeologist Ángela Jeria Gómez and Air-Force Brigadier General Alberto Bachelet Martinez. Much of Bachelet's childhood years were spent traveling around Chile, moving with her family from one military base to another. She studied in primary school in Quintero, Cerro Moreno Antofagasta and San Bernardo. In 1979 graduated from secondary school in Liceo Nº 1 Javiera Carrera. In 1970 Michelle studied medicine at U. de Chile From 1975-1979.
When Augusto Pinochet came to power in the Septiember 11, 1973. General Bachelet, refusing exile, was detained under charges of treason. On March 12, 1974, he suffered a cardiac arrest that resulted in his death. In 1975 Michelle Bachelet was in exile with her mother in Australia and Germany, where she completed her education as a pediatrician. In 1979 Michelle Bachelet returned home. In 1982 she completed her medical training at the University of Chile. In 1990 Michelle Bachelet joined the West Santiago Health Service and the National AIDS Commission. She studied military strategy at Chile's National Academy of Strategy and Policy and at the Inter-American Defense College in the United States. In March 1994 she became Senior Assistant to the Deputy Health Minister and a year later was named to the Socialist Party Central Committee. She got married to Jorge Dávalos, but now she is separated from her husband. She has three children,Sebastian, Francisca and Sofía.
In 2000, Michelle Bachelet became Chile's Minister of Health, serving under socialist, also she was the first woman in Chilean and Latin American history to hold the Defense portfolio, under government of Ricardo Lagos.
In late 2004, following a surge of her popularity in opinion polls, Bachelet was asked to become the Socialists' candidate for the presidency. On October 1, of that year she was freed from her government post in order to begin her campaign and to help the Concertación at the municipal elections. On January 15, 2006 when she presented for president, Michelle Bachelet won 53.51 percent of the vote while Sebastian Pinera, her rival for the presidency, won 46.48 percent, according to official results.
On March 11, 2006 Michelle Bachelet was sworn in as President of the Republic of Chile.
Finally as we knew, Chile has a woman in the government!
MICHELLE BACHELET
2006-2010
