UN to Vote on Resolution Condemning US Embargo Against Cuba

Cuba will once again request on Wednesday that the United Nations General Assembly vote on a resolution condemning the economic, financial and trade blockade which the United States has imposed on this Latin American nation for more than 60 years.

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While the resolution is expected to be approved by an overwhelming majority of member countries, Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez warned that the President Donald Trump administration is pressing six Latin American countries not to reject the blockade.

The first time Cuba presented a draft resolution against the blockade was in 1991. On that occasion, however, it withdrew its proposal due to pressure from Washington on the member countries.

A year later, in 1992, Havana presented again its draft resolution and managed to obtain 59 votes in favor and 71 abstentions. The U.S., Israel, Albania and Paraguay voted against it.

In 2018, support for the resolution against the blockade was overwhelming: Cuba won 189 votes in favor, two against (the United States and Israel) and no abstention.

Although these victories have marked important milestones in the history of diplomacy, those have not had practical effects so far because the U.S. has ignored “with arrogance and contempt” 27 resolutions against the blockade.​​​​​​​

According to Cuban official figures, the U.S.-driven blockade has brought losses to Cuba for US$4.3 billion from April 2018 to March 2019.

In the 60 years that the U.S. has maintained its unilateral coercive measures, Cuba has suffered accumulated losses that exceed US$920 billion.