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| Communist pact bolsters Bachelet in Chile poll | Communist pact bolsters Bachelet in Chile poll |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Chile's small Communist party has officially announced its support for socialist Michelle Bachelet's candidacy to regain the presidency. | Chile's small Communist party has officially announced its support for socialist Michelle Bachelet's candidacy to regain the presidency. |
| Guillermo Teillier, the party leader, announced the pact after meeting Bachelet, who was Chile's president from 2006 to 2010 and is now the frontrunner for the 17 November vote. | Guillermo Teillier, the party leader, announced the pact after meeting Bachelet, who was Chile's president from 2006 to 2010 and is now the frontrunner for the 17 November vote. |
| Communists and other leftists were considered enemies of the state during Chile's 1973-90 military dictatorship under General Augusto Pinochet, when thousands of people were killed or "disappeared" for their politics. Since Chile's return to democracy in 1990 the Communist party has remained in opposition and has allied with other leftist groups rather than join Bachelet's coalition. | Communists and other leftists were considered enemies of the state during Chile's 1973-90 military dictatorship under General Augusto Pinochet, when thousands of people were killed or "disappeared" for their politics. Since Chile's return to democracy in 1990 the Communist party has remained in opposition and has allied with other leftist groups rather than join Bachelet's coalition. |
| Bachelet had been looking for the backing of the Communists by echoing their demands for education and constitutional revisions, in the face of mounting protests demanding a wider distribution of Chile's copper wealth, the protection of the environment and free schooling. | Bachelet had been looking for the backing of the Communists by echoing their demands for education and constitutional revisions, in the face of mounting protests demanding a wider distribution of Chile's copper wealth, the protection of the environment and free schooling. |
| "They have decided to support a collective project that seeks to advance toward a more inclusive and fair country," Bachelet said about the Communists' support. "I'm convinced that most Chileans want an end to inequality." | "They have decided to support a collective project that seeks to advance toward a more inclusive and fair country," Bachelet said about the Communists' support. "I'm convinced that most Chileans want an end to inequality." |
| Although Communists account for only about 5% of the vote, it could be crucial in a runoff. In the 1999 election, Ricardo Lagos of the Socialist party beat Joaquin Lavin, a conservative, by less than three percentage points. | Although Communists account for only about 5% of the vote, it could be crucial in a runoff. In the 1999 election, Ricardo Lagos of the Socialist party beat Joaquin Lavin, a conservative, by less than three percentage points. |
| In return for the Communist backing Bachelet is letting famed student activist Camila Vallejo run for Congress without a challenge from her centre-left bloc. Vallejo, who has expressed caution about backing Bachelet, is part of a push to expand Communist strength in Congress from three to 10 seats. | In return for the Communist backing Bachelet is letting famed student activist Camila Vallejo run for Congress without a challenge from her centre-left bloc. Vallejo, who has expressed caution about backing Bachelet, is part of a push to expand Communist strength in Congress from three to 10 seats. |
| "Everything I have said and think about Michelle Bachelet has been said during the party's discussion," Vallejo said on Twitter. "The final decisions are made by the collective." | "Everything I have said and think about Michelle Bachelet has been said during the party's discussion," Vallejo said on Twitter. "The final decisions are made by the collective." |
| Bachelet was a key player in the centre-left coalition that dominated Chile's government for almost 20 years after Pinochet lost power. Enormously popular in the last year of her presidency, Bachelet returned to Chile in late March after spending two and a half years in New York as the first executive director of the United Nations agency for women and gender issues. | Bachelet was a key player in the centre-left coalition that dominated Chile's government for almost 20 years after Pinochet lost power. Enormously popular in the last year of her presidency, Bachelet returned to Chile in late March after spending two and a half years in New York as the first executive director of the United Nations agency for women and gender issues. |
| Members of the conservative governing coalition criticised Bachelet's deal with the Communists. | Members of the conservative governing coalition criticised Bachelet's deal with the Communists. |
| Former defence minister Andres Allamand said the coalition risked becoming radicalised and moving too far to the left. Former economy minister Pablo Longueira, a veteran politician who was close to Pinochet, said the Communist backing for Bachelet was a "backwards" step for Chile. | Former defence minister Andres Allamand said the coalition risked becoming radicalised and moving too far to the left. Former economy minister Pablo Longueira, a veteran politician who was close to Pinochet, said the Communist backing for Bachelet was a "backwards" step for Chile. |
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