Isabel Allende (Napoleon's World)

Isabel Allende Llona (born in Lima, Peru, on 2 August, 1942) is a Chilean politician, activist and author best known for serving as President of Chile from 2002 to 2006. She is the daughter of former Chilean dictator Salvador Allende's cousin, Tomas (a former government official). Her run for the Senate in 1990 was highly controversial due to the reputation of her uncle and she was narrowly defeated, despite her having recanted Communism in 1983 and having been highly critical of Allende's regime after his 1987 death. In 1994, she was successfuly elected to the Chilean Senate and served two terms before running for office in 2002, upsetting UDP favorite Michelle Bachelet on the second ballot in the primaries thanks to strong support from various left-wing elements. She defeated right-wing candidate (and her future successor) Joaquín Lavín in the runoff in the 2002 general election and became the second consecutive leftist elected to the Presidency.

Her Presidency included a controversial legislative battle against the National Democratic Confederation over social policy (namely abortion and maternity leave) and famously debated the Bishop of Santiago on the air. Her insistence on incorporating the more hardline Communist Party into the Democratic People's Unity prior to the 2006 election to prevent losses for the left backfired and gutted the coalition, with her archenemy Lavín winning the ensuing election. Due to a recession during her term and her controversial and polarizing behavior as President, Allende is regarded as the worst President since the restoration of democracy.