The Government of Guyana is silent on reports that the United States intends to use its veto powers on the United Nations Security Council to block the nomination of Guyana’s Ambassador to the UN, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett from the UN Secretary General job.

The New York times is reporting that the United States has opposed the candidacy of Ambassador Rodrigues- Birkett over her stance on the situation in Gaza, describing it as a genocide.

In a comprehensive report on the race for the next United Nations Secretary General, the New York Times reported that Washington was also against the nomination of former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet over her positions on abortion. She dropped out of the race last week.

The US Government’s opposition to Guyana’s candidate is reportedly related to her calling out Israel’s conduct in Gaza a “genocide”.

It was during a contribution to the UN Security Council in 2024 that Ambassador Rodrigues-Birkett read a statement on behalf of Guyana, which stated that “there is a veritable genocide taking place in Gaza”.

In the statement, she also explained at the time that the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to take actions to prevent genocide in Gaza in accordance with its obligations under the Geneva Conventions. She said Israel, however, continues to blatantly disregard the ICJ’s orders.

“The floodgates have already opened in Gaza and this Council must agree to pull the plug and stand up for Palestinians”, the Ambassador said.

If the US goes ahead and vetoes the nomination of Ambassador Rodrigues- Birkett, it will essentially end her bid for the top U.N job.

Yesterday, President Irfaan Ali introduced Ambassdor Rodrigues-Birkett to US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, on the margins of the U.N General Assembly in New York. It is unclear whether there was any discussion on the US Government’s position on Guyana’s nominee during that encounter.

Once the UN Security Council agrees on a single nominee, it will pass a resolution and recommend the person to the General Assembly, which will take up a procedural vote. The nominee has to have nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the Security Council’s five permanent members — the United States, France, Britain, Russia and China — to get the job.

According to the report, Russia had also indicated it would veto one of the candidates, Rafael Grossi, because it was not pleased with his handling of the standoff between Russia and Ukraine over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.

While there has been no clear front runner so far, Rebeca Grynspan, Former Vice president of Costa Rica gained a narrow edge in the most recent straw poll, with nine encouraged votes, five discouraged votes and one no-opinion ballot.

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