Morales: Chavez supports Bolivia as UNSC candidate

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Bolivia's president said Tuesday that Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez would throw his support behind the Andean country if Venezuela were unable to win enough votes to defeat US-backed Guatemala for a seat on the UN Security Council. Bolivian President Evo Morales, a close ally of Chavez, raised the possibility during a speech in El Alto, Bolivia, while in Caracas Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro said Venezuela would continue its drive for the rotating Security Council seat. Morales said he had spoken by phone with Chavez, who told him that if Venezuela does not get the two-thirds majority it needs to win, he will "propose Bolivia as a candidate." "We're candidates for the Security Council," Morales said. "I hope we can achieve consensus." A 36th round of voting is scheduled to be held Wednesday, and some countries in the region _ from Brazil to Guyana _ expressed hope of seeking an alternate candidate. Other possibilities mentioned by diplomats included Chile and Uruguay. Venezuela trailed Guatemala in 34 of the 35 votes so far, and tied the Central American country in one round last week.