Chile's Camila Vallejo leaves student protests to back Bachelet's proposed changes as lawmaker

SANTIAGO, Chile – Camila Vallejo, the public face of Chile's student movement, is backing presidential favorite Michelle Bachelet's proposed reform of the country's education system.

The nose-ringed geography student led millions into the streets since 2011 asserting the right to free education. Vallejo and three other student leaders were elected to Congress Sunday.

The 25-year-old Communist Party member said Thursday that she's confident Bachelet's coalition will have enough seats in Congress to achieve education reform.

Bachelet led Chile from 2006-10. She nearly doubled her conservative rival's votes in the first round of the vote and is widely expected to retake the presidency in a December runoff.

Her coalition already has the votes in Congress needed to raise taxes, but lacks the super-majorities to change the dictatorship-era electoral system and constitution.