Brussels, Nov 7 (EFE) .- The Spanish Economy Minister, Luis de Guindos, said today that Spain will support the Portuguese Finance Minister, Mário Centeno, if he decides to present himself as candidate to preside over the Eurogroup when the Dutch Jeroen Dijsselbloem leaves office in January.

"If Mário Centeno were to appear, of course, he would have the support of Spain. said and he has told me the other way round: if you show up, you will have my support. of the European Union (EU) that is celebrated today in Brussels.

The Spanish holder insisted that he is not a candidate for the position, which he attended in 2015, and pointed out that he does not know whether it will be Mário Centeno.

The name of the Portuguese socialist sounds strongly as a possible candidate to take office, although candidatures can not be officially presented until two. weeks before the election, which will take place on December 4.

De Guindos considered that the election will be "difficult" because "we have to reconcile restrictions, between north and south, East and West, and Socialists, Popular and Liberals ", but pointed out that among the Eurozone's Ministers of Economy and Finance there are" several people "who could" perfectly assume the function. "

In addition, he said, the ministers have little time to decide and has not yet completed the formation of Government in Germany.

The Spanish head said that" at this time no "the possibility of creating a permanent president of the Eurogroup is contemplated, although" in the future it could be contemplated ".

De Guindos trusted that a" consensus candidate "is found "Represent everyone, get consensus and make important reforms for the Economic and Monetary Union."

The mandate of Jeroen Dijsselbloem, who has held the presidency for five years (two terms of two and a half years each) ends on January 13.

Although he is no longer Dutch Finance Minister after the formation of a new Government in the country, Dijsselbloem he has been able to maintain the position with the agreement of his partners in the eurozone and his salary has been paid since the end of October by the European Stability Mechanism (ESM).

So far, The Luxembourg Finance Minister, the liberal Pierre Gramegna, and his Slovakian counterpart, the socialist Peter Kazimir, have expressed interest, while it also sounds like potential candidate the French Finance Minister, Bruno Le Maire.