The Dominican Republic and Mexico compete today for the seat occupied by Jamaica on the Security Council of the United Nations. The DR had lobbied for the support of Latin America and the English-speaking Caribbean, or Caricom bloc. The country based its aspirations on the fact that despite being one of the founding nations of the UN in 1948, it has never occupied the seat. Everything was going well for the DR until Vicente Fox won the presidency in Mexico and announced that nation’s aspirations to the post. Minister of Foreign Relations Hugo Tolentino Dipp is in New York for the event. Mexico’s Minister of Foreign Relations Jorge G. Castañeda says Mexico has the support of 100 nations versus the DR which has only the firm support of 10 nations. Tolentino Dipp told El Caribe newspaper that he is banking on the fact that the vote is secret and “someone could commit their vote (to Mexico) and then not fulfil the promise,” he explained. The DR first presented its candidacy in 1997. Then Minister of Foreign Relations Eduardo Latorre says the seat brings prestige and obliges the nation to conduct more proactive diplomacy as the country will be involved in important decision making.
