Another cousin, Omar Ayub Khan, is running with the PML-N for Haripur's seat in national parliament.

WSJ: Pakistani Candidates Hop Parties With Little Resistance

He said it was "madness" that Africa, South America and India did not hold a permanent seat on the U.N.

CNN: Sarkozy: We will never abandon the euro

Through these efforts, it seems that Rousseff is seeking to garner U.S. support for a permanent seat on the U.N.

CNN: Why Iran-Brazil friendship has gone cold

And as Portugal prepares to take its seat on the U.N.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama Meets with Prime Minister Socrates

As the cheers outside grew louder with every new parliament seat called for PML-N, aides occasionally brought in children who wanted to take snapshots with the politicians.

WSJ: Pakistan's Next Leader Vows Better U.S. Ties

Venezuela is vying for an open seat on the U.N.

NPR: U.S. and Venezuela Battle at the U.N.

He's expecting to fill no more than 75% the 7, 000-seat TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, N.

FORBES: Magazine Article

And to recognize or seat a changed government requires a vote of a U.N. credentials committee.

WHITEHOUSE: Press Briefing

Chavez is vying for an open seat on the council to have more clout in the U.N. system.

NPR: Chavez Calls Bush 'Devil,' Assails U.S. Policies

The U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, and other Bush administration officials have been working hard behind the scenes to lobby Latin American countries and other U.N. member states to choose Guatemala instead of Venezuela to fill a rotating seat on the Security Council.

NPR: U.S. Hopes to Block Venezuela from Security Council

For a time, though, the central question of the island commonwealth's status took a back seat to a controversial amendment by Rep. Gerald Solomon, R-N.

CNN: House Approves Ballot On Puerto Rico's Status