By Cassandra Garrison

MEXICO CITY, (Reuters) – Mauricio Clever-Carone (head of Inter-American Development Bank), said Friday that he was being targeted by an anonymous political media campaign after Reuters reported that the bank’s directors are investigating allegations that he had an interracial relationship with a subordinate.

This week, IDB directors met to discuss hiring an external firm to look into claims that Claver Carone had a sexual relationship with a staffer. Reuters exclusive.

Although the news agency could not confirm claims of the relationship between the two, it would seem that if confirmed, this would be in violation of bank rules. Claver Carone has yet to respond to numerous requests for comment.

Claver Carone criticised an “anonymous media campaign” against himself at an event that was broadcast online on Friday. The specific allegations were not addressed by Claver-Carone, who did so in an anonymous email.

Claver Carone opened remarks at an IDB conference by saying, “Trust us, I would love for you to present to me today the direct proof which I have”

He said, “I hope that I’m given the chance to present my case and provide information”, adding that he respected the confidentiality of this ongoing process.

Without providing evidence, he claimed that certain bank employees were using an anonymous letter to organize a media campaign.

Claver-Carone’s comments were not addressed by the IDB.

On Thursday, the bank’s directors met once again and decided to create a resolution for the hiring of an external firm in order to investigate the claims. The board must approve it, according to a bank source. A source at the bank said that Claver Carone’s duties were not being removed by directors.

Although it is smaller than either the International Monetary Fund of World Bank, Washington’s IDB development bank is still a major player in Latin America.