Bolivia’s Sacha Llorenti set to assume U.N. Security Council presidency

UNITED NATIONS – Bolivia’s Ambassador to the United Nations Sacha Llorenti has said that Bolivia is ready to assume the presidency of the U.N. Security Council on June 1st.

The ambassador from the leftist Andean nation said that June’s agenda would include Syria, Colombian peace, and aid to Haiti.

The presidency of the Security Council changes each month, with Bolivia scheduled to hold the seat in June.

Bolivian Chancellor Fernando Huanacuni also announced that the South American nation’s agenda for June would focus on the ongoing Syrian conflict, Colombia’s peace process, and foreign aid to Haiti.

The diplomat emphasized that respect for sovereignty of nations is a top priority for Bolivia’s work in the U.N.

During his time serving as Bolivia’s Ambassador, Sacha Llorenti has often taken principled stances against U.S. interventionism. The diplomat from the leftist plurinational state has been one of the most prominent voices opposing the United States’ aggression against the Syrian government, which he called “a serious threat to international peace and security,” following the decision of U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration to launch a missile attack against a Syrian air base.

Llorenti has previously pushed in the U.N. for “material compensation” to Haiti, which he says will be a top agenda item for June. “As for Bolivia, support to Haiti is a priority, we owe these people a lot, not only because of the environmental disasters but also because of years of foreign intervention,” he said in April.

Bolivia has opposed efforts by the U.S. and the Organization of American States (OAS) to intervene in Venezuela, instead calling for greater attention to be paid to the repressive crisis surrounding Brazil’s unelected President Michel Temer.

Last week, President Morales referred to U.S. military interventions as “the worst disgrace to humanity,” adding that they are carried out with the intention to “steal natural resources.”