United Nations, October 17 (RHC)-- Venezuela has been elected as a new member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, with its headquarters based in Geneva.

On Thursday, the 193-member General Assembly elected 14 new members to the 47-member Human Rights Council for three-year terms starting January 1, 2020.

"We want to thank the countries that voted in favor of Venezuela and congratulate the other members of the #HumanRights Commission," Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said.  "Venezuela has proposals so that there are no armed interventions or economic blockades."

In the vote, Brazil topped the ballot with 153 votes followed by Venezuela with 105 votes. Venezuela was able to garner enough votes of UN-member states, despite U.S. attempts to bribe and pressure countries not to vote for Venezuela.   The results were seen as a major victory for the Bolivarian Revolution of Venezuela.

Seats are allocated depending on region, to ensure that the council is geographically representative.

The U.N. General Assembly elected a total 14 Human Rights Council members on Thursday from five regional blocs.  Germany, the Netherlands, Libya, Mauritania, Namibia and Sudan were elected uncontested but still needed to win a majority vote.

Armenia, Poland, Indonesia, Marshall Islands, South Korea and Japan beat competition in their regional blocs to win seats; Japan for a second term.  Iraq and Moldova were unsuccessful.