Calderon is key to whether Ortiz stays as central bank governor
By Jason Lange
Reuters
Mexican central bank Gov. Guillermo Ortiz soon could be shown the door after clashing with President Felipe Calderon last year on interest rate policy.
Ortiz' six-year term ends on Dec. 31, and Calderon said on Wednesday he had not decided whether the central banker should stay.
The monetary policy chief, who is well-liked on Wall Street for bringing down inflation and bolstering the Banco de Mexico's independence from politicians, has not said publicly whether he wants to stay on for another unprecedented term.
"The presumption is that Ortiz will not stay," said Raul Feliz, an economist and central bank watcher at the Center for Economic Research and Teaching in Mexico City.
"There have been a series of signals that suggest the personal relationship between him and the president is not good," he said.
The rate hikes of 2008 showed Ortiz would not bow to political pressure and Calderon's administration said it would respect the central bank's independence. However, Calderon appeared to throw more jabs at him.
