The United Nations General Assembly has for the 30th year in a row overwhelmingly voted to affirm a resolution demanding the end of the economic blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba.
One hundred and eighty five countries voted in favour of the text with two ‘no votes’ from the United States and Israel and two abstentions from Brazil and Ukraine.
The blockade has been in place for more than six decades and Cuba’s foreign minister told the assembly that accumulative damages were estimated at almost 1.4 trillion dollars at current prices.
South Africa called the continued embargo a violation of international law and the UN Charter that could never be justified.
The resolution titled: Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba, has been approved since 1992 as Cuba’s top diplomat lamented the economic losses to his country.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla asks, “What would Cuba be like today had it had those resources? What else could we have done? What would our economy be like?”
He adds, “It’s impossible to quantify the anxiety generated by blackouts and instability in the power system. Supply shortages and long queues to buy essential goods. Or the obstacles posed to the life projects of families and particularly young people. The blockade also creates conditions that incite irregular, disorderly and unsafe site migration, and the painful separation of families. It takes a toll on the lives of Cuban men and women and contributes to transnational organized crime and arms trafficking in persons.”
He also called the US designation of Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terror, imposed in the final days of the administration of former President Donald Trump, as unfounded while urging the US to heed the almost unanimous call of the international community.
“Cuba would be better without the blockade. Every Cuban family would be better off without the blockade. United States citizens will be better off without the blockade. The United States would be a better country without the blockade against Cuba. The world would be better off without the blockade.”
South Africa said the continued embargo and the extra-territorial application of sanctions on third countries, continued to severely curtail Cuba’s potential, at great cost.
Political Counsellor at the South African Mission Masotsha Mnguni says, “South Africa remains unwavering in our support for the legitimate struggles of the people of Cuba to enjoy unobstructed freedom to develop, prosper and provide its people with a life of hope and dignity, which is the inherent right of all nations and peoples. We reiterate our principled position to support this resolution and call once again, on the United States to heed the almost unanimous position of the countries of the world to put an end to the blockade.”
But the United States again rejected the resolution, focusing rather on human rights deficits in Cuba, after abstaining just once under the administration of former President Barack Obama in 2016.
The US Mission’s Political Coordinator John Kelley, says, “The United States opposes this resolution, but we stand with the Cuban people and will continue to seek ways to provide meaningful support to them. We encourage this body to urge the Cuban government to listen to the Cuban people and their demands to determine their own future.”
Even if the current US administration voted in favour of the text, it would still require an act of Congress to eliminate the embargo – a pipe dream given the current political divides nationally.
