Stewart Stogel
Saturday, Oct. 14, 2006

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UNITED NATIONS -- Venezuela's bid for one of 10 non-permanent seats on the U.N. Security Council may be in trouble, say Cuban diplomats.

One Cuban diplomat working to "assist" Venezuela — speaking to NewsMax on background — confessed that Caracas faces "an uphill" battle.

A U.S. diplomat in New York City told NewsMax he "agreed" with the Cuban assessment.

The General Assembly will vote on the Council seats Monday.

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Five of the non-permanent 10 seats are up for grabs. Any candidate needs a majority of the 192-member U.N. body.

Venezuela and its fiery president, Hugo Chavez, have been leading a high-profile campaign for the Latin American seat on the 15-member council.

Chavez is best remembered for his "flame-throwing" speech at the U.N. General Assembly when he danced at the General Assembly podium and repeatedly called President George W. Bush "the devil."

The United States has backed Guatemala for the contested seat. The non-permanent membership lasts for two years.

"The United States has been pressuring many countries," says the Cuban diplomat.

He added that Washington has been flaunting additional foreign aid or in some cases talking about reducing aid to influence the U.N. vote on Monday.

Venezuela has also been offering "incentives" to gain votes.

Last month, Chavez announced an agreement in the form of a long-term contract to sell oil to China.

According to U.N. diplomats, the Monday vote could go "several rounds" until Venezuela or Guatemala get the required votes.

"They will go beyond the first round, maybe several rounds. I have no doubt," confessed the Cuban.

Ironically, the Venezuelan U.N. mission threw a self-congratulatory party last week. It may have been premature.

In the mid-1990's, Australia's colorful ambassador Richard Butler (of U.N. Iraq arms inspections notoriety) ran for a Council seat against Portugal.

Butler, like his Venezuelan counterpart, also engaged in a public series of pre-vote events "congratulating" himself, only to find defeat when the GA polling finally took place.

Will history repeat itself come Monday?

Neither the U.S. or Guatemalan U.N. missions were available for any comment.

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