SANTIAGO, Dec 13 (Reuters) - An inadequate tackling of the U.S. fiscal cliff, an acceleration of the euro zone debt crisis and volatility in commodity prices are potential risks for export-dependent Latin America, the head of the International Monetary Fund said on Thursday.

Macro prudential policies can help commodities-exporting countries, the IMF's managing director Christine Lagarde said during a talk with students at the Universidad de Chile in Santiago.

(Reporting by Anthony Esposito and Moises Avila; Editing by James Dalgleish) Keywords: CHILE IMF/LAGARDE

(alexandra.ulmer@thomsonreuters.com)(Twitter: @ReutersChile, @AlexandraUlmer)(+562-370-4229)(Reuters Messaging: alexandra.ulmer.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.com)

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