Colombia backed Mexican central bank chief Agustin Carstens for the International Monetary Fund’s top job on Wednesday and called on other nations in the Americas for support.
Emerging nations have not rallied behind Carstens, and there is hope in some quarters that another candidate will emerge who can win the backing of the BRICs countries — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
“Colombia expresses support for the aspiration of Agustin Carstens and invites other governments of the Americas to join in backing this bid,” Colombian Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin said in a statement.
Holguin said emerging markets need more say in multilateral institutions.
The IMF job fell vacant after former head Dominique Strauss-Kahn was arrested on charges of sexually assaulting a hotel maid in New York.
Carstens has been on a global tour to drum up support for his underdog candidacy to lead the Washington-based IMF against French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde. He has not visited Colombia.
The United States and Europe hold 48 percent of the votes in the IMF, and emerging economies — China, India, Brazil and Russia — have 12 percent. The process to name candidates closes on June 10 and a new head will be elected on June 30.
