Guatemala on the UN Security Council?

It is possible this is news only in Guatemala, but the government of this country is still making a bid for the Latin American region’s seat on the UN Security Council (a non-permanent seat with no veto power). I suspect the balanced speech of President Berger at the UN last month was a little overshadowed by that of Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez, the other contender for this Security Council seat, who, in a triumph of international diplomacy, said he could still smell the odour of the Devil George Bush at the podium.

What follows is my translation of an amusingly forthright interview on this subject in today’s edition of one of Guatemala’s daily newspapers, ‘El Periodico’.[1] I apologize for any errors – it’s not an expert translation. The interviewee is Antonjo Pallaré Buonafina, ex-Guatemalan ambassador to the UN and, prior to that, to France.

What purpose is served by Guatemala becoming a member of the UN Security Council?
None at all. It will just create problems this government cannot confront. There is a book by the Spanish ambassador who was a member of the Security Council when the US attacked Iraq, in which he says that he has never held a position so useless, so dangerous and so subject to pressure, as that one.

What does Guatemala have to do to obtain the Security Council position?
Hugo Chavez would need to die. He’d have to commit hari kiri. Don’t think that just because he’s mad he’s also unpopular. Guatemala will stay in the voting but in the end it will withdraw. Guatemala’s ambassador to the UN, Jorge Skinner Klée, is known in the Ministry of External Relations as the most scheming person there. He wants to stay at the UN for eternity, and if he becomes a member of the Security Council he will be immoveable.

What action would Guatemala need to take to merit a position on the Security Council?
A change of government and ambassador and a move to act with the dignity of a state. No one believes anyone who is not honourable. There is no point in denying it has been responsible for false rumours in the past. Guatemala is unable to participate unless it changes its policy and enters the arena with honourable people. The Arabs are not going to forget Guatemala’s past actions.

Q. Would the fact that it sent forces to Lebanon help Guatemala’s candidature?
A. The whole world knows that we have a long history of enmity with Israel, and they respect that, and no one is going to believe that we have become friends overnight. It’s something that forms over time, through actions. No one’s interests are served by sending our boys over there where they might kill and be killed. The sentiment is laudable, but Guatemala should not go where it is not wanted.

And I have nothing more to add....

Mariposa Pesada


[1] By Claudia Acuna de Seijas, p. 3.