Global Policy Forum

By Diego Cevallos

The political divisions between governments in Latin America and the Caribbean have so far frustrated the process of electing one of their numbers to a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

Guatemala and Venezuela both want the seat, which will be vacated by Argentina in January. Ever since the 192 members of the U.N. General Assembly started voting last week, they have been fighting fiercely for the spot.

After 35 rounds of balloting last week in which neither country earned enough votes to win, this Wednesday the General Assembly members will meet again at the U.N. New York headquarters for another attempt. Guatemala received more votes, but consistently fell short of the two-thirds majority required. It argues that Venezuela should step down since it has garnered less votes. But the government of Hugo Chávez will not back down, because, it says, what is at stake is its fight "against the empire (the United States)," which is backing Guatemala.

The divisions among Latin American countries at global forums have been particularly apparent since 2005. That year there was a tight race between Mexico and Chile for the position of secretary general of the Organisation of American States, with five rounds of tied voting. In that regional forum, Mexico stood down as a candidate and opened the way for a consensus favouring Chile. Leftwing governments at that election supported the centre-left Chilean government, while the United States and others backed Mexico.

The divisions emerged again in November 2005, at the 4th Summit of the Americas held in Mar del Plata, Argentina. There, the cause of discord was the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), promoted by Washington, which foundered at the Summit. Latin America and the Caribbean "are far from becoming a united region, with a strong and united voice in the international concert of nations," Liliana Iglesias, an expert on Latin American affairs at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, told IPS.

Political interests, in-fighting, and friendship or phobias towards the United States fuel the rancour, in contrast with what goes on in other regions such as Europe and Asia, where consensus and pragmatism are more frequently seen, said the professor of international relations. Over the weekend, intense conversations were held among several Latin American countries, in order to try to break the deadlock on the U.N. vote, but no real progress was made, IPS was told by Mexican diplomatic sources, who are backing Guatemala and want Venezuela to step aside.

According to Mexico's ambassador to the U.N., Enrique Berruga, diplomatic tradition calls for the country receiving the least support after many rounds of voting to bow out. This suggestion is rejected by the Venezuelan government, which sees the contest as a struggle against the interests and power of the United States. Leftwing President Chávez said at the weekend that even if his country does not win a seat on the Security Council, its struggle has already "damaged the empire (the United States)."

Berruga denied the idea that the United States had imposed Guatemala as its candidate – as Chávez alleges – and called on Caracas to work out its problems with Washington bilaterally. "If Venezuela and the United States have a problem, let them sort it out between them, not throw a spanner in the works of the whole group," the diplomat said.

The lack of agreement among Latin American countries to present a single candidate to the Security Council held up a great deal of work at the U.N. General Assembly last week. Many delegates from other regions were upset by this, and urged the Latin Americans to come up with a solution.

Latin America and the Caribbean have the right to two rotating seats, each for a two-year term, on the Security Council. Argentina finishes its term in December, and Peru at the end of 2007. In the absence of a consensus, Chile has suggested that both candidates stand down and that a new country be proposed. Mexico wants Venezuela to step aside, and Ecuador and Peru are being pressured to stop abstaining and to vote for one or other of the candidates.

Meanwhile, Uruguay has indicated that it would be willing to stand for the seat, as long as the other two countries resign, and there is a regional consensus asking it to do so. In the region, the members of the Mercosur free trade bloc (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay), Bolivia and the countries of the Caribbean support Venezuela, while Central America, Mexico and Colombia back Guatemala.

Outside the region, Venezuela is backed by China, Russia, Iran, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, a number of Arab states and countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Guatemala has the votes of Canada, the United States, most of the European Union, and allies of the Western powers in Asia, Africa and Oceania. The secret ballots in favour of Guatemala have fluctuated between 93 and 116 votes, while Venezuela has received between 70 and 93.

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