UNITED NATIONS Venezuela and Guatemala deadlocked in their battle for a spot on the U.N. Security Council, after 10 rounds of voting failed to anoint a winner to fill the spot reserved for Latin America on the powerful U.
N. body.
Guatemala led in nine of the 10 ballots, but could not get the two-thirds majority necessary to win.Nonetheless, the results were a defeat for Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who had campaigned by railing against the United States and promised to use his nation's voice on the 15-member council to counter Washington's influence.
The other four seats that will come open on the council were filled easily. South Africa, Indonesia, Italy and Belgium will start their terms on the council on Jan.1, replacing Tanzania, Japan, Denmark and Greece.
Neither Venezuela nor Guatemala appeared willing to drop out of the election, which resumes on Tuesday with another round of balloting. Venezuela's U.N. Ambassador Francisco Arias Cardenas complained the United States has pressured countries worldwide to prevent Venezuela from winning the two-year rotating seat.
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