Caracas, January 2 (teleSUR-RHC)-- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro hailed January 1st as the beginning of Venezuela's temporary period on the United Nations Security Council.

The South American country will participate in meetings "with the utmost responsibility to defend world peace," President Maduro said.

Venezuela was elected to the post last October with 181 of 193 countries voting in favor.

"Venezuela will be on the Security Council, the supreme body of the United Nations, representing the voice of peace, the voice of the pluri-polar and multi-centric world, representing Latin America's voice as a united bloc," Maduro stated at the time.

After playing a leading role in shaping Venezuelan oil policy for a decade, Foreign Minister Rafael Ramirez was announced Friday as Venezuela's representative at the United Nations in New York. Ramirez also took up his new position on January 1st.