Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino spoke by telephone with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday and raised the issue, according to statements issued by both governments.

Panama’s Foreign Ministry said the two leaders agreed that broad international consensus is needed to elect the next head of the United Nations (UN).

Mulino emphasized that Latin American and Caribbean countries want the selection process to respect this unwritten tradition whereby the organization’s top leadership is selected on a rotating basis between different geographic regions.

He argued that this time someone who is from this area should get a chance on this post.

The US State Department confirmed that Rubio and Mulino discussed the election of the secretary general, but did not disclose Washington’s stance on the regional rotation proposal.

The discussion comes at a time when UN member states are preparing to choose Guterres’ successor. Guterres’ second five-year term ends on December 31.

Panama’s Foreign Ministry said that the two leaders considered it important that there should be a broad consensus on a candidate capable of leading the international organization.

Mulino particularly noted the aspirations of Latin American and Caribbean countries to have greater representation in senior international positions.

Neither government announced support for any candidate or any common stance.

The ongoing relief and recovery work in Panama after the October 9 earthquake was also discussed in the conversation.

According to the US State Department, Rubio reiterated Washington’s commitment to supporting Panama during reconstruction.

The department said that US aid had reached the affected communities within 24 hours of the earthquake.

This assistance included food, water, communications equipment, logistics support, and urban search-and-rescue teams.

Mulino thanked the US for providing humanitarian assistance and sending its personnel to assess structural damage.

Panama’s Foreign Ministry said that American help has provided a lot of support in continuing the reconstruction work. Said that the situation of democracy in the region was also discussed in the talks, although both the governments did not give detailed information about any specific concern or initiative.

The US State Department described the conversation as reaffirming the growing partnership between Washington and Panama.

The discussion covered two important diplomatic issues: cooperation after natural disasters and the selection of the next head of the United Nations.