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| Caribbean-Latin America |
| Venezuela: Fight Is Against 'Owners of the Universe' |
| 2006-10-19 |
| After further voting on Tuesday it has still not been decided whether Guatemala or Venezuela will occupy the fifth seat on the U.N. security council. There have been 22 rounds of votes so far and voting will be continued on Thursday. There are many who think that this is because Chavez's government has not achieved a consensus in the region. The proof of the lack of consensus is that many Latin American countries indicated that they would vote for Guatemala. Guatemala's supporters were Mexico, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Panama, Honduras, Costa Rica and El Salvador. Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, Bolivia and Cuba are suspected to have voted in favor of Venezuela, jointly with China, Russia, Iran, Belarus, Syria, Lebanon and some African countries. However, it is not possible to know for certain because it was a secret ballot. Chavez toured the world promising millions of dollars of support to a wide range of countries in an attempt to win support for Venezuela's bid. Bolivia, for example, received US$140 million in loans, scholarships, donations and agricultural machinery. In the final round of voting on Tuesday, when 120 votes would have been enough for either country to win, Guatemala received 102 and Venezuela 77. Twelve countries abstained, including Ecuador and Chile. In Venezuela Chavez's followers say that Venezuela received a good share of the vote in each round and "that for the Venezuelan politics is already a triumph." Guatemala has in fact received more votes than Venezuela in each round. This it is the second time that a vote for a place on the Security Council has gone into a high number of rounds. During the Cold War in 1979 when Cuba and Colombia were contending for the position, there were 155 rounds of votes over three months. In the end Mexico was elected by consensus. It was expected that a third Latin-American country would be put forward to break the deadlock, but in meetings on Wednesday no consensus country was found. Making reference to the United States's extensive support for Guatemala, the Venezuelan ambassador to the U.N., Francisco Arias Cardenas, has said that the fight for the Security Council seat is not against a "brother country" but against "the owners of the universe." The United States are anxious to ensure that Venezuela does not win the seat because Chavez hopes to use it to extend his international influence. The Venezuelan president has been vocal in his opposition to the U.S. foreign policy. This is what his UN "speech" was about. He figured that he would bash Bush, get the GA asshats on his side, and sweep the UNSC seat. I'm surprised it didn't work. |
| Posted by:.com |
| #15 BOBO is lilkim in the making. He's subverted is own economy and the idiots without any education, but that is the way it always is. The platitudes of socialism are alluring to those driven by envy and greed. |
| Posted by: Omolung Cherese2625 2006-10-19 21:31 |
| #14 Venezuela and its resident nutbag loon Chavez on the Security Council?. This is like having Lybia on the Human Rights Council. Is there no limit to the stupidity these UN morons engage in? How is it that much of the civilized world does not rise up in outrage at such insults to common sense and decency? |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-10-19 20:57 |
| #13 Or the US Senate by 59-41 |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-10-19 18:15 |
| #12 Only in the UN could you lose with a vote of 102 to 77. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2006-10-19 18:02 |
| #11 When I sleeps the Universe Dies. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2006-10-19 17:18 |
| #10 I want my "I own the universe, and all I got was this lousy shirt" shirt. |
| Posted by: xbalanke 2006-10-19 15:17 |
| #9 We own the universe? Now that is cool (and likely news to the likes of Stephen Hawking et al). |
| Posted by: FOTSGreg 2006-10-19 15:12 |
| #8 It's good to be king. |
| Posted by: Perfesser 2006-10-19 14:33 |
| #7 I thought we are the Princes of the Universe.... |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2006-10-19 12:11 |
| #6 So, hugo is really fighting against the Archons? Like, vow. |
| Posted by: anonymous5089 2006-10-19 11:45 |
| #5 Who is running this election, Al Gore ? 22 elections ? 155 elections ? I vote US out of UN...UN out of US. any questions ? |
| Posted by: wxjames 2006-10-19 10:55 |
| #4 Skeletor! |
| Posted by: mojo 2006-10-19 10:47 |
| #3 Venezuela could use some 155 rounds over the next three months. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-10-19 08:18 |
| #2 However, it is not possible to know for certain because it was a secret ballot. You mean you didn't have Zogby poll them first? |
| Posted by: Procopius2K 2006-10-19 07:55 |
| #1 Fighting and promising that the Poor = the Masses = the People = the Landless will get land as forcibly taken from the decadent capitalist landowners, ergo under Communism = Radical Leftism/Socialism NO ONE GOT ANY SAVE THE STATE = STATE-CONTROLLED/ORDERED COLLECTIVES. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2006-10-19 02:50 |