Nigeria and 186 member states of the United Nations on Thursday voted by a large margin against the United States’ economic and trade embargo against Cuba, first imposed in 1960.
A total of 187 States voted for the resolution put forward each year against the embargo with only the U.S. and Israel voting against and Ukraine abstaining.
The resolution’s full title is the “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba”.
The UN General Assembly voiced concern that despite its resolutions dating back to 1992 (Resolution 47/19), “the economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba is still in place”, and that “the adverse effects of such measures on the Cuban people and on Cuban nationals living in other countries”.
It recalled measures adopted by then U.S. President Barack Obama in 2015 and 2016 “to modify several aspects of the application of the embargo, which contrast with the measures applied since 2017 to reinforce its implementation”.
The general assembly reiterated its call for all states to refrain from promulgating and applying such restrictive laws and measures, in line with their obligations under the UN charter and international law.
Representative Paul Folmsbee of the U.S, while explaining the vote, said his country strongly support their pursuit of a future with respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
He, however, noted that sanctions are “one set of tools” in the U.S. broader effort towards encouraging Cuba to advance democracy and promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
He said the U.S. recognized the challenges the Cuban people face, explaining that sanctions include exemptions and authorizations relating to exports of food, medicines and other humanitarian goods to Cuba.
“The U.S. opposes this resolution,” he said, encouraging the general assembly to urge the Cuban government to adhere to its human rights obligations “and listen to the Cuban people and their aspirations to determine their own future”.
Earlier, the Cuban foreign minister, Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, while introducing the draft resolution, said that the more than 60-year blockade violated the rights of all Cuban men and women.
“Families lack goods, there are long queues, excessively high prices and the government makes great efforts to feed its people.”
He said the blockade deprives the agricultural industry of funds to buy animal fodder, industrial equipment and other necessities for food production.
“Despite wavers on food products, the U.S. is violating rules of international trade,” he said.
“Cuba is prevented from buying from U.S. companies and its subsidiaries in third countries, equipment, technologies, medical devices and end use pharmaceuticals.
“It is therefore forced to acquire them at exorbitant prices by way of intermediaries or to replace them with less-effective generic drugs,” he said, citing testimony from Cuban families wrestling with serious illnesses.
“How different could [their] lives have been, if Cuba was not prevented from acquiring directly from the U.S. market the [medications] to prevent the spasms,” he wondered.
He reiterated Cuba’s support to and solidarity with Palestinian people, who were currently being massacred on their own illegally occupied land.
“These barbaric acts must stop”, he added, referring to the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip.
The Cuban foreign minister said the U.S. had been pressuring banks worldwide not to deal with his nation, becoming victims of U.S. hostility and its harmful impact on the global financial system, he added.
He pointed out that the blockade separated Cuban families and deprives U.S. citizens of their right to visit Cuba.
This item has been a regular fixture on the assembly’s agenda, and the body has, in previous years, voted overwhelmingly in favor of an end to the measures. In 2022, for instance, 185 Member States voted in favor to 2 against (Israel, United States), with 2 abstentions (Brazil, Ukraine), expressing concern about the adverse effects of such measures on the Cuban people and on Cuban nationals living in other countries.
