Cuba: 'Infantile' US Attempt To Amend UN Resolution

Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez called the United States attempt to amend the United Nations resolution to end the economic blockade against the Caribbean nation “infantile” Wednesday.

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"We denounce the attempts to meddle with today's resolution," Rodriguez told teleSUR in an exclusive interview as he left the U.N. Security Council that had scheduled a vote on the U.N. General Assembly resolution to end the U.S.’s nearly six-decade economic and humanitarian blockade on Cuba.

For two decades the General Assembly has approved resolutions against the blockade that are later shut down by the Security Council. The resolution has failed since 1992 due to the U.S. veto power within the council.

However, on Wednesday the U.S. formally introduced eight amendments in order to alter the resolution pushing the vote to Thursday, Nov. 1.  

The amendments include accusations against the Cuban government, claiming that the island nation has a "severe lack of access to information and freedom" and an "absence of women from the most powerful decision-making bodies." The amendments closely resemble previous ones discarded by the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly in 2006.

Other amendments assert that Cuba persecutes political opponents and violates human rights. Earlier this week, Rodriguez rejected these accusations, challenging the U.S. to engage in a discussion over human rights and human development. "The separation of children from their parents and their imprisonment in cages is abhorrent," he said. 

Rodriguez expressed outrage Wednesday at the Trump administration saying it's creating further tensions and hostilities by obstructing the U.N. vote. Last week, when the amendments were circulating Rodriguez, said: "This maneuver is meant to manipulate public opinion," and highlighted that "it is the duty of any diplomat to defend the truth (...), to prevent the violation of procedures, and the attack on sovereign states.”

The U.S. government has blockaded Cuba economically and financially since 1962, with lesser sanctions since 1959. Listed as the longest in the history of mankind, the blockade affects every form of development for the Caribbean country. It constitutes a flagrant, massive, and systematic violation of human rights against the Cuban people and is rejected by 191 nations in the U.N.

Venezuela's ambassador to the United Nations, Samuel Moncada also rejected the amendments and defended Cuba on Wednesday.