Time - USA (2021-03-01)

Izkia Siches

PastŽn

34 • CHILE’S

TRUSTED

MESSENGER

BY MICHELLE

BACHELET

At only 34, Dr. Izkia Siches

Pastén has already shown

amazing leadership and

enormous potential. In 2017,

she became the fi rst woman to

hold the national presidency of

Chile’s Colegio Médico, a highly

infl uential medical union, in its

almost 70-year history—and this

January, her diligence and clear

messaging on matters of public

health helped her win a second

three-year term leading the

group. She will continue her work

as a member of Chile’s COVID-19

Social Roundtable, playing

a crucial role in framing an

inclusive, nationwide response

to the pandemic. Her empathy,

capacity and credibility also led

to public discussion of a possible

presidential run, an option that

she has ruled out for the moment.

But millions of Chilean voters

share her dreams of a modern

health service, giving all hope

that Izkia is here to stay.

Bachelet is the U.N. High

Commissioner for Human Rights

and a former President of Chile

PHILLIP: NATE PALMER; SICHES: ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXIS FRANKLIN FOR TIME

PHOTOGRAPH BY BRYANT ESLAVA