The possibility of my presidential candidacy emerged spontaneously in public opinion polls. For my part, I noticed people's affection when I was doing work on the ground. I think the important thing is that my candidacy was born from citizens themselves, driven by the people and which the parties picked up favourably.

In some places women have all the rights they deserve and in others there are big restrictions - in some countries they even mutilate women.

I believe that if you want to fight inequality you have to do it starting at infancy.

You have to be doing things that matter - responsibility, but also responsibility with epic and beautiful and noble tasks.

The challenge is for us to reinvigorate the relationship with the Chilean people and to give state institutions new legitimacy. But this is also a universal phenomenon. There's also disenchantment with politics in Europe.

I was a woman, a divorcee, a socialist, an agnostic . . . all possible sins together.

Having experienced personally and through my family the tragedy of Chile is something always present in my memory. I do not want events of that nature ever to happen again, and I have dedicated an important part of my life to ensuring that and to the reunion of all Chileans.