Mexican Congress asks Derbez to withdraw candidacy for OAS head
The Mexican Congress decided on Tuesday to withdraw its support for Foreign Minister Luis Ernesto Derbez's bid for the secretary general of the Organization of American states (OAS), asking him to immediately quit the race.

In a communique issued Tuesday, the Congress said it made the decision largely out of two concerns. First, the foreign policy of Mexico has always enjoyed prestige in the region, but "lately it has been affected by the obstination on a candidacy."

Secondly, Derbez as foreign minister of Mexico, should not appear with double status in diplomatic occasions, as it is likely to lead to other countries' mis-understanding of Mexico's foreign policies, the Congress said.

The OAS ran into a deadlock earlier this month due to an election between the US-backed Derbez and his rival, Chilean Interior Minister Jose Miguel Insulza, who enjoyed support from South American and some Caribbean nations.

With only a week before a second voting and no signs of a change in the OAS member countries' positions, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she will seek to end the impasse during her tour to Latin America this week.

Rice said Tuesday in Brazil that Washington is consulting with Latin American countries on the possibility of a third candidate, as it is also possible for a new round of election to end in a draw. Meanwhile, she reiterated support for Derbez' candidacy.