Bachelet wimps out

In other words, as Chile's president sees it, it's better to support a budding autocrat who promises to defend Iran's nuclear program on the Security Council, and may threaten her own country's security, than to be seen as close to Chile's largest trading partner and strategic arms supplier at a time when it is trying to use the Security Council to stop Iran (and North Korea) from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Chile will abstain from Monday's vote, presidential spokesman Ricardo Lagos Weber said Sunday. He said President Michelle Bachelet decided not to support either candidate.