The International Monetary Fund removed Ricardo Reis from the race for chief economist of the institution. The decision came after criticism made by Reis against U.S. President Donald Trump.
Ricardo Reis is a Portuguese economist affiliated with Columbia University in the United States. He was considered one of the favorites to fill the chief economist position at the IMF, which became vacant after Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas left.
Reis's criticism of Trump appears to have been the determining factor in his exclusion from the selection process. The episode highlights tensions between technical and political considerations in appointments to leadership positions in multilateral institutions.
The IMF has not officially commented on the specific reasons for Reis's removal. The institution continues the selection process to fill the chief economist position, one of the most important in the Fund's executive structure.
