New government endorsement boosts Goldfajn’s chances at IDB, says former IDB director

In an interview with CNN this Monday (14th), the former Executive Director of Brazil at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), José Guilherme Reis, stated that if there is an endorsement of Ilan Goldfajn’s candidacy by the new government, the chances of the candidate to be elected are high.

“I estimate that, if during this week there is a formal endorsement of Ilan’s candidacy, by the elected government, the chances are very high that he will be chosen”, he said.

On Saturday (12), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) accepted Goldfajn’s nomination as a candidate for the institution’s presidency, despite a request from Guido Mantega, former Minister of Finance, for the name not to be accepted.

Reis also commented on Mantega’s request for Goldfajn’s name not to be accepted. According to the former director of the institution, the episode did not affect the candidacy, since the name has a technical and “strong” profile.

“Ilan is a very strong candidate for his technical capacity and his contribution. There is an evaluation that the IDB needs a more technical, more focused management and, therefore, there is a very positive evaluation about it”.

Five names were presented as candidates for the position of President of the IDB:

• Cecilia Todesca Bocco was nominated for Argentina;
• Gerard Johnson was nominated for Trinidad and Tobago;
• Gerardo Esquivel Hernández was appointed by Mexico;
• Ilan Goldfajn was appointed by Brazil;
• Nicolás Eyzaguirre Guzmán was appointed by Chile.

One of the most respected technicians in the country, Goldfajn was nominated to run for the command of the IDB by the current Minister of Economy, Paulo Guedes, who ignored personal disagreements by choosing his name. The IDB is a multilateral institution responsible for US$12 billion in loans to governments in Latin America, comprising 48 member countries.

Watch the full interview in the video above.