Bush Versus Chavez

International wedge politics means you are with Bush's U.S.A. or against it. The issue has split Latin America and the division is now on show at the UN:

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...

The last time a vote for a place on the Security Council went into a high number of rounds was back in 1979 when Cuba and Colombia were contending for the position. After an incredible 155 rounds of votes over three months, a third party candidate (Mexico) was elected by consensus. Today no such consensus country can be found.

Venezuela's Ambassador to the U.N. says the fight for a Security Council seat is not against a "brother country" but against "the owners of the universe."