MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Central America' candidate for OAS Secretariat.

Presidents of Central American countries chose this Friday in San Jose de Costa Rica former Salvadoran head of state Francisco Flores as the region's candidate to head the Organization of American States

Mr. Flores candidacy was sponsored by Salvadoran President Tony Saca and his Guatemalan counterpart, Oscar Berger.

"Central America and the Dominican Republic have chosen a candidate. Mr. Flores is the region's only candidate for the post with the backing of all countries," said President Saca after leaving the Costa Rican presidential palace where the decision was made.

"Some countries voted for their own candidates, but in the end Central America has chosen and the decision is that we're all going to support a single candidate," added Mr. Saca.

President Berger said that Central American leaders will now have to seek votes from the rest of the hemisphere, noting that Mr. Flores already has the support of Mexico, Colombia and the Caribbean countries.

According to President Berger, Mr. Flores will launch his bid for the leadership of the OAS at the Ibero-American summit this weekend in San Jose de Costa Rica.

The post has been vacant since early October when former Costa Rican President Miguel Angel Rodriguez stepped down after barely a month as OAS secretary-general, to face corruption charges in Costa Rica.

Central American leaders also insisted that the position, which generally rotates among the three Americas, must remain within the region in spite of the frustrating experience with the Costa Rican candidate. But it's not certain how the other influential countries of the region, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela will react.