Cuba once again achieved this Thursday, for the thirty-first time, a moral victory at the UN, where 187 countries voted in favor of ending the embargo imposed by the United States against the island, which was implemented within six decades.
Only the United States and Israel voted against the resolution “It is necessary to end the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba.” Ukraine abstained.
“The blockade is an act of economic war in peacetime, which aims to eliminate the government’s ability to respond to the needs of the population, create an unmanageable situation and destroy the constitutional order,” said the Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez in the tribune
More than 80% of the Cuban population lives only under the regime of unilateral US sanctions imposed in the middle of the Cold War by President John F. Kennedy to suffocate the island’s communist regime.
Cuban authorities estimate that the six-decade embargo has cost its economy more than $159 billion. Between March 2022 and February 2023 alone, the blockade could cause a loss of 4,867 million dollars and prevent GDP from growing by 9%.
“The blockade tightened to the extreme continues to be an important element that defines the foreign policy of the United States with Cuba,” said the chancellor, reminding the Democratic President of the US Joe Biden that “in a simple signature ” he can eliminate what he meant. as “no mercy.” siege” of the Cuban population.
“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,” said the representative of US when his position was explained at the end of the vote.
“Ruthless” and “criminal”
With the notable absence of developed countries before the vote despite the fact that the majority voted in favor of the resolution, voices from the global South followed each other on the platform.
Without exception, they advocate individually or for groups such as the G77 + China, the Non-Aligned Movement or CELAC (Latin America and the Caribbean) for the end of “anachronistic”, “merciless”, “violent”, “criminal”, “illegal”, “harmful” and “strong”.
Since 1992, Cuba has presented a draft resolution every year calling for the end of the embargo to Washington, which in January 2021, in the last days of the government of Donald Trump, included the island again in the list of countries that promotes terrorism. , where he was between 1982 and 2015, and which included countries such as North Korea and Iran.
The Cuban government’s heavy-handed crackdown on anti-government demonstrations in July 2021, which left more than 1,000 detained – about 700 remain in prison with sentences of up to 25 years – and sent others into exile, did not contribute to the desired change that was expected. from the Democratic administration of Joe Biden, after his predecessor Donald Trump hardened the island.
