U.S., Venezuela Elected to U.N. Human Rights Council

U.S., Venezuela Elected to U.N. Human Rights Council

The U.S. was elected to a second term on the U.N.’s Human Rights Council on Monday. 

Venezuela also secured a position on the council, which means Obama administration officials will now be working side by side on Human Rights’ issues with officials from the government of Hugo Chavez, the Latin American leader who said he wished he could have voted for Obama.  

Throughout the administration of George W. Bush, the U.S. boycotted the council because of its negative bias against Israel. In 2009, Obama changed that policy, stating his belief that a U.S. seat in the council might succeed it changing it from within.

However, even as the U.S. was re-elected to a second term, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice said one of the “flaws” of the council continues to be “its excessive focus on Israel.”

Besides continuing to oppose Israel,  the council served as a bastion for “progressive” achievement on an international scale during Obama’s first term.

 

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