Argentina, Brazil Endorse Costa Rica’s OAS Candidate

THE Presidents of Argentina and Brazil this week announced they would endorse former Costa Rican President Miguel Angel Rodríguez (1998-2002) in his bid to become Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Costa Rica’s Foreign Ministry announced in a statement.

Foreign Minister Roberto Tovar expressed “profound” gratitude to the governments of Argentina and Brazil for pledging their “valuable support.”

“The message expressed by the Presidents of Argentina, Néstor Kirchner, and Brazil, Luiz Inacio “Lula” Da Silva, to Costa Rica’s candidate, constitutes a valuable opportunity to secure the election of a Central American,” Tovar said. “It consolidates the possibility that a candidate that represents a hemispheric consensus will be elected.”

Kirchner and Da Silva announced their support for Rodríguez during a bilateral meeting held Tuesday.

Rodríguez has secured the support of 25 countries, including 15 members of the Caribbean Economic Community (CARICOM), Bolivia, Canada, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Rodríguez departed yesterday to Chile, and plans to continue on to Ecuador and Perú in an attempt to secure the support of those countries.

Representatives of the OAS’ 34 member states will meet in Quito, Ecuador, in June to elect the organization’s next Secretary General.