Costa Rica supports postponing election for new IDB president

Costa Rica, which has presented a candidate to preside over the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), supported a push to postpone the assembly in which members will vote for that position.

The Central American country thus added its voice to that of nations such as Chile and Mexico, which defend postponing the next meeting of IDB governors — scheduled for September — due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Certainly the times are not the best for holding this meeting within the context of the pandemic caused by Covid-19,” said a statement released by the Ministries of Finance and Foreign Relations of Costa Rica.

The statement indicated that the postponement will allow a “healthy and deep reflection” on the future of the financial institution based in Washington.

San José has nominated former President Laura Chinchilla as IDB leader.

The United States’s Mauricio Claver-Carone, an official of the Donald Trump government, and the Argentine Gustavo Beliz also aspire to the position.

The winner would replace Colombian Luis Alberto Moreno.

“We will continue with the promotion of the candidacy for Costa Rica of former President Chinchilla, understanding that the most important thing at this time is to guarantee the conditions of debate and reflection so that the best possible decision is adopted, conditions that today are impossible to address” the statement added.