Overview
- Antigua and Barbuda submitted Espinosa's nomination to the United Nations, making her the fifth declared contender for the top post.
- She served as Ecuador's foreign and defense minister and presided over the UN General Assembly from September 2018 to September 2019, aligning with calls for a Latin American woman to lead the organization.
- The four earlier candidates took public interviews in April, and Espinosa will enter the same member-state forum next.
- Particular power in the selection rests with the Security Council's five permanent members, who can veto any nominee.
- The Council plans secret straw polls by the end of July to narrow the field before recommending one candidate to the General Assembly, which will elect a leader for a five-year term starting January 1, 2027.