Female Supremacy Articles - Page 19

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Only one of Ms. Bachelet's appointments has stirred real controversy, and that was for familiar ideological reasons. For her choice as the deputy defense minister for the air force, she named Raúl Vergara Meneses, a former military officer who was one of her father's cellmates when he died and who later, while in exile in Nicaragua in the 1980's, was a commander in the Sandinista air force in Nicaragua.

Right-wing parties that supported the Pinochet dictatorship and have expressed suspicions that Ms. Bachelet intended to steer the country leftward have protested loudly. But Ms. Bachelet has held firm, and Mr. Vergara Meneses has defended himself by noting that he may be the only member of the Chilean Air Force with real combat experience.

About 30 leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as from Africa and Oceania, were here for the inauguration, which was held 16 years to the day after General Pinochet relinquished power.

The United States was represented by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who arrived late Friday after saying that Washington was looking forward to an "excellent relationship" with the Bachelet government.

During her stay in Chile, Ms. Rice is scheduled to meet with several Latin American leaders, including Bolivia's new populist president, Evo Morales, who took office in January.