The United Nations does not need a protracted ideological battle to add to its many other problems. Yet that is what is in prospect as a result of the indecisive vote to elect one of Latin America's two temporary members to the Security Council.

After 22 rounds of voting so far this week, neither anti-US Venezuela nor pro-US Guatemala looked capable of assembling the necessary two-thirds General Assembly majority for election. It is now time for Latin America to show diplomatic maturity and find a compromise candidate that would be more acceptable to world opinion.