Hillary and Her Forerunners in South America

If Hillary Clinton wins the Democratic nomination and goes on to win the presidential election in November, she would join the company of two powerful women leaders who rule in South America--Chile's Michelle Bachelet and Argentina's Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.

Bachelet, who has served as Chile's president for two years now, is a 54-year-old single mother and pediatrician who suffered imprisonment, torture, and exile under the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet.

Fernandez won the Argentinan election in October and replaced her husband, Nestor Kirchner, as leader of that country last month. The handing of the baton from one Kirchner to another is reminiscent of Juan and Eva Peron (known affectionately as Evita). Of course commentators, politicians, and others have talked about the strong similarities between Fernandez, a lawyer and senator who followed her husband, and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.

A November 2007 New York Times article says that Fernandez is quite frequently compared to Hillary. Fernandez has openly said that Hillary is her idol, but figures show that Fernandez may have had an easier time of it in Argentina than Hillary may have in America. The New York Times article goes on to say this:

But even as Mrs. Kirchner (Fernandez) has looked north for inspiration, there are parts of Latin America that have been more successful than the United States in achieving gender equity. Women made up 39 percent of the legislatures in both Argentina and Costa Rica last year, while they accounted for only 16 percent of Congressional seats in the United States, according to the Inter-American Dialogue. And Mrs. Clinton’s current run notwithstanding, America has yet to elect a female president.

Looks like Hillary would have some sisters to relate to down in South America if she wins the whole shebang in November. That's a big "if" though. Let's see what happens.