Having been a head of state gives you the possibility of getting into places others can't go.

It was said that Chile was not ready to vote for a woman, it was traditionally a sexist country. In the end, the reverse happened: the fact of being a woman became a symbol of the process of cultural change the country was undergoing.

Chile has done a lot to rid itself of poverty, especially extreme poverty, since the return to democracy. But we still have a ways to go toward greater equity. This country does not have a neoliberal economic model anymore. We have put in place a lot of policies that will ensure that economic growth goes hand in hand with social justice.

Violence ravaged my life. I was a victim of hatred, and I have dedicated my life to reversing that hatred.

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

Gender equality will only be reached if we are able to empower women.

You all want to know what is my dream? Very simple. To walk along the beach, holding the hand of my lover.