It's Chávez vs. U.S. ally for U.N. seat

Beyond the diplomatic chatter and a sense of international respect for the winners, elections to seats on the United Nations Security Council are usually drab affairs.

Until this year. Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez is challenging U.S.-backed Guatemala for a seat, triggering what many analysts and diplomats are calling the hottest Security Council race in nearly 30 years.

Go to the full article in the Miami Herald about next week's U.N. Security Council vote.