Fight for U.N. Security Council seat divides Latin America, Caribbean

By: JONATHAN M. KATZ - Associated Press | Monday, September 4, 2006 8:50 PM PDT ∞

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic ---- Venezuela's quest for a U.N. Security Council seat, in the teeth of U.S. opposition, is approaching the decisive moment and putting increasing pressure on Latin American and Caribbean countries to choose sides.

The United States is campaigning behind the scenes to boost Guatemala and prevent Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez from winning a platform to influence world affairs. Chavez, a fierce U.S. critic, is circling the globe collecting promises for votes.

Lobbying is expected to surge at the summit of the Non-Aligned Movement starting Sept. 11 in Havana with up to 120 nations attending.

If the Latin American and Caribbean countries have a consensus, the Oct. 16 vote by the U.N. General Assembly becomes a foregone conclusion. Otherwise the result won't be known until the secret ballots are counted. A two-thirds majority among the 192 members worldwide is needed to win.

Haiti is one of the undecideds that are feeling the heat. It's among several developing nations that get cheap oil from Venezuela, but its foreign minister, Jean Raynald Clarisme, says the government can't ignore the United States ---- a major aid donor and purchaser of the impoverished nation's exports.

"It's a very delicate situation," Clarisme told The Associated Press. "It's not easy to make a final decision."

The Dominican Republic, which has yet to announce a decision, is also in a bind. It's a close U.S. ally and trading partner but also receives Venezuelan oil on preferential terms.

There are 10 temporary seats on the 15-member Security Council, held for two-year terms by members from regional blocs. The other five belong to permanent members with veto power: Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.

Chavez has backing from China, Malaysia and Syria, and told Venezuelan state TV the list is growing to include Arab, African and Western Hemisphere governments plus Russia.

Guatemala, whose delegations have lobbied in 60 capitals, expects to carry most of Europe as well as some of Asia and Africa, Foreign Minister Gert Rosenthal told the AP.

In Latin America, Venezuela is probably ahead, with Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia all committed, and Cuba almost certain to back it as well. Nearly all 14 U.N. members of the Caribbean Community, or Caricom, are expected to back Chavez.

Peru, Ecuador and Chile are officially undecided.

Guatemala counts Mexico, Colombia and five of its Central American neighbors as expected supporters. A border dispute with the sixth, Caricom member Belize, is part of the reason it is losing the Caribbean.

A recent Caribbean tour by Rosenthal appears to have come up short. His jet was scarcely off the ground when leaders from Grenada and Dominica said they were unswayed.

"Venezuela's assistance to Dominica and Caricom cannot go unnoticed," Dominican Foreign Minister Charles Savarin said.

Savarin cited Venezuela's Petrocaribe trade deal, which has provided tiny Dominica with asphalt, fuel storage tanks, $12 million for housing development and scholarships to Venezuelan universities ---- along with cheap oil.

What can Guatemala do to compete? "Nothing," Rosenthal responded, "We're not in the same league."

Washington distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to Latin America each year, including $230 million to Haiti this year. But some nations say Washington's lobbying for Guatemala isn't helping.

"In some countries I have to admit the U.S. has come on too strong in its opposition to Venezuela," Rosenthal said. "We would be happier if they would not promote our cause so much because we would like to be our own promoter."

Washington's pitch is that Guatemala is a founding U.N. member, provides peacekeeping troops and has never sat on the Security Council, whereas Venezuela had four stints. It also contends that Venezuela under Chavez will undermine the council's efforts to halt Iran's nuclear program and resolve the conflict in Sudan.

"They are a country whose behavior has been disruptive," and "unlikely to be a positive member of the Security Council," said U.S. State Department spokesman Eric Watnik.

Chavez promises to advocate change, including revoking the permanent members' vetoes.

He predicts Washington's "battle for the world" will backfire, since many governments "realize it's immoral for the U.S. empire to try to keep a small, modest country like Venezuela from entering a body, whatever it is."

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