Venezuela and Guatemala have agreed to both withdraw and allow Panama as the substitute candidate for the open seat on the UN Security Council.
UNITED NATIONS (AFP) – Guatemala and fierce US critic Venezuela agreed to withdraw from their deadlocked contest to secure a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council to make way for Panama, Ecuador's UN ambassador announced.
Ambassador Diego Cordovez made the announcement to reporters after two rounds of talks between Guatemalan Foreign Minister Gert Rosenthal and his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro at Ecuador's United Nations mission.
The choice of Panama as a compromise candidate has to be endorsed by the UN Latin American and Caribbean Group.
"The two foreign ministers have agreed on two issues," said Cordovez, who mediated between Venezuela and Guatemala.
"Both will withdraw their candidacy to the Security Council, and second, Panama will be the country that the three of us will present to the (Latin American) group" to represent the region, Cordovez said.
I really thought (T)Hugo would hold out longer hoping to prove he was relevant. Or something.
From the US point of view there is not much difference between Guatemala and Panama sitting on the Security Council. Neither is going to be hostile to the US but neither is going to be a reliable supporter of US initiatives. They will both vote in line with the typical UN majorities. Neveretheless, this is a victory for the US becasue: 1) Venezuela did not get the position for which Chavez spent a fortune to obtain 2) the defeat has dealt a severe blow to Chavez’ prestige at home right before an upcoming election, and, 3) Panama is in reality the diplomatic functional equivalent of Guatemala, the candidate which the US supported.
I guess I’m just surprised he gave up this quickly.