New UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet was twice the president of Chile – and once a victim of torture

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday announced the appointment of Michelle Bachelet, Chile’s two-time president who endured torture under the Pinochet regime, as the world body’s next human rights chief.

Bachelet, 66, is set to replace Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein of Jordan, a sharp critic of US President Donald Trump’s policies, who held the post of UN high commissioner for human rights since September 2014.

A two-time president who ranks among the world’s most powerful women in politics, Bachelet also served in 2010 as the first director of UN Women, the UN agency promoting gender equality worldwide. She left the Chilean presidency in March.

Guterres informed the General Assembly of his decision in a letter on Wednesday following consultations with the heads of regional groups at the United Nations, a UN statement said.

The 193-nation assembly will meet on Friday to vote on the appointment, which is expected to win approval, diplomats said. Zeid is due to step down on August 31.

Bachelet will step into a position that has drawn much controversy under Zeid, who decided not to seek a second term after losing support from powerful countries including the United States, Russia and China.