2023-11-03 14:45:31
Cuba once again achieved a predictable and symbolic victory in the United Nations General Assembly, which approved for the thirty-first time a declaration calling on the United States to lift the economic, commercial and financial blockade it imposed on the island in 1962 and which constitutes, according to Havana, “an act of war in times of peace.”
The initiative had 187 votes in favor and only two against, those of the United States and Israel, while Ukraine abstained.
The vote is almost identical to last year’s, with the exception that Brazil abstained in 2022, with Jair Bolsonaro in the presidency, and now, with Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva in the Executive, it spoke out against the embargo.
“The blockade is an act of economic war in times of peace, aimed at nullifying the Government’s ability to meet the needs of the population, creating a situation of ungovernability and destroying the constitutional order,” denounced Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez.
The text of the resolution, entitled “Need to end the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba”, reiterates the principle of “equality of States, non-intervention and non-interference in internal affairs and freedom of international trade and navigation”.
This is the 31st time that the assembly debates the issue, always with a vote highly favorable to ending the measure, although the United States systematically fails to comply.
Since 1992, Cuba has scored victory at the UN to end Washington’s retaliation. On that first occasion, there were 59 votes in favor, 71 abstentions and 3 votes against, and since then the initiative has been gaining support.
Despite his campaign promises, US President Joe Biden maintains the sanctions imposed by his predecessor, Republican Donald Trump, a few days before concluding his term, with the exception of some minor variations regarding visas, travel and remittances to the island. .
“The blockade tightened to the extreme continues to be the essential element that defines the foreign policy of the United States with Cuba,” warned Rodríguez, who stressed that “with a simple signature” Biden could eliminate what he defined as a “merciless siege” on the Cuban population. .
Furthermore, Rodríguez emphasized that more than 80 percent of the Cuban population only lived under the regime of unilateral US sanctions.
Likewise, he also questioned Washington’s inclusion of the island on the list of countries that sponsor terrorism.
“The Government of the United States lies and does enormous damage to international efforts to combat terrorism, when it accuses Cuba, without any basis, of being a country that sponsors this scourge. There is not a single valid and reasonable argument for Cuba’s permanence on that spurious list,” said Rodríguez.
Cuban authorities estimate that six decades of blockade meant losses for its economy of more than 159 billion dollars.
In its reply, the US representation explained that the sanctions are “a set of tools in our broader effort towards Cuba to advance democracy and promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in Cuba.” “Therefore, we oppose this resolution,” she said.
After the vote, the Cuban president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, celebrated the result on his X network account. “The world has once again said NO to the #GenocidalBloque. Long live #Cuba!”, published the president.
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