Hispanic trio makes Forbes most powerful women list

Three women of Hispanic background were among those selected for Forbes magazine's annual "100 Most Powerful Women" ranking.

• Argentine president Cristina Kirchner was eleventh on the list. Despite being ranked higher than the chief executives of major firms like Xerox and Avon, the magazine mentioned Argentina’s recent economic troubles. The magazine cited dismal midterm election results that may lead Kirchner to pull a Palin and resign before the end of her term in office.
• Chilean president Michelle Bachelet has been on the list before and this year was no exception. She was placed at 22nd on the list with Forbes praising Chile’s numerous trade pacts as well as Bachelet’s role as head of the UNASUR bloc.
• She has yet to listen to her first Supreme Court case but Sonia Sotomayor earned the #55 spot on the list just ahead of Securities & Exchange Commission chair Mary Schapiro and Health & Human Services chief Kathleen Sibelius. Forbes highlighted her extensive judicial experience and Ivy League background while also acknowledging the stiff opposition during her nomination process.
  

German Chancellor Andrea Merkel topped this year’s "100 Most Powerful Women", followed by FDIC chair Sheila Blair and PepsiCo chief exec Indra Nooryi.

Image- La Nacion (2007 photo of the current presidents of Chile and Argentina).
Online Sources- The Latin Americanist, AHN, Forbes.com