MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Venezuela support, “kiss of death” for Insulza

Chile's Foreign Affairs Minister Ignacio Walker said Tuesday that two countries committed to vote for Chilean candidate Jose Miguel Insulza as the next Secretary General of the Organization of American States switched their support to Mexican Luis Ernesto Derbez.

"Votes are counted at the time of the election; we always said that. What we pointed out (before the election) is that we had a majority and, I repeat, we had 19 votes lined up and we finally had 17. Therefore two let us down, but that's the way elections go" admitted with resignation Mr. Walker.

Last Monday in Washington the Chilean and Mexican candidates for the OAS post tied 17-17 in a round of five ballots, so the organization decided to hold another open election May 2.

However OAS watchers believe that a strong last moment push from Washington was decisive in turning votes for Mr. Derbez, particularly since the Chilean candidate was backed by Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez who with aid and oil promises rallied many Caribbean votes.

According to these analysts Mr. Insulza's chances of achieving a majority were wrecked by what several called "the kiss of death": the Chilean's endorsement by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the left-wing populist who is threatening to displace Fidel Castro as the "most destabilizing force" in the region according to President Bush administration.

Mr. Derbez on the other hand has served as Foreign Secretary in Mexico's conservative government for the past two years, while Mr. Insulza became Chile's Interior Minister in 2000 under Socialist President Ricardo Lagos.

Talking to journalists in Valparaiso, seat of Chile's Congress, Mr. Walker refused "to give names", and emphasized that Mr. Insulza enjoyed the support from half of the region's 34 countries, which stood fast in five consecutive polls "in a difficult, perhaps adverse, environment" in direct reference to Washington's arm twisting.

The Chilean Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed that on Tuesday Mr. Insulza met in Washington with Roger Noriega, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, and Thomas Shannon, the Latin American specialist on the National Security Council.

In spite of the secret ballot it's known that Mexican candidate Mr. Derbez was supported by North and Central America countries plus the votes of Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru and Colombia.

Mr. Insulza was backed by Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Ecuador, Venezuela and the Caribbean countries strongly lobbied by President Hugo Chavez.