CUBA | For the 30th Year, the World's Nations Vote to Lift US Blockade of Cuba

United Nations, Nov 3 (Prensa Latina) For the thirtieth consecutive year, an overwhelming majority of the world's nations signalled their desire of having the United States of America remove its 60 year old economic blockade of Cuba, which has cost that country billions of dollars, thousands of deaths, and untold suffering by its eleven million citizens.

In a resolution opposed in the United Nations only by the United States and its staunch ally Israel, and abstentions only from Brazil and Ukraine one hundred and eighty five (185) countries voted in favour of lifting the blockade.

The vote, announced on the large boards at the plenary of the General Assembly, once again reflected the isolation of the United States and its deafness to Cuba’s demands, which for the thirtieth time were heard at this venue.

Not all countries in the world can be wrong in recognizing that the US blockade policy against Cuba is unfair and humiliating, trying to starve a noble, brave hospitable, and supportive country into submission. The world demands the lifting of the blockade. #MejorSinBloqueo pic.twitter.com/xvIW5lLXm5

— Mayra leon Perez (@MayraleonPerez4) November 3, 2022

Cuba started presenting its resolution against the US blockade in 1992, and since then for 30 consecutive years, interrupted only in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking at the debate that preceded the vote, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said that over 80 percent of the Cuban population was born under the blockade.

He recalled that three decades have passed since the UN General Assembly first voted on this resolution, which has received universal support.

The foreign minister, who asked to let Cuba live in peace, without blockade, noted that, since 2019, the US government has tightened its hostile policy against Cuba to a more cruel and inhumane dimension.

He stressed that, during the first 14 months of the Biden administration, damages have risen to over 6.3 billion dollars, which is equivalent to losses of over 15 million dollars a day.

The world continues accompanying to #Cuba, denouncing and demanding the lifting of the criminal US blockade. #MejorSinBloqueo pic.twitter.com/vDPY9j976j

— EmbaCubaKuwait (@EmbaCubaKuwait) November 3, 2022

Cuba's Prime Minister Manuel Marrero on Thursday thanked the international support for Cuba in its fight against the blockade imposed by the United States for more than six decades.

On Twitter, Marrero wrote about the first day of debates on this issue, held on Wednesday within the framework of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), where dozens of countries and multilateral organizations condemned the US blockade.

Several speakers also called for the removal of Cuba from the list of countries that allegedly support terrorism, drawn up by Washington in an attempt to justify the sanctions policy with which it intends to subvert the revolutionary process in this Caribbean nation.

South Africa on Thursday described as unjustifiable the blockade that the United States has maintained against Cuba for more than six decades.

In a speech at the UN General Assembly, the representative of this African country said Washington’s coercive unilateral measures violate international law and the United Nations Charter.

The blockade undermines Cuba’s socio-economic growth and hinders its development, so we call for the lifting of this hostile policy, he said.

He also condemned the inclusion of Cuba in the list of alleged countries that sponsor terrorism and said that Cuba is a champion of the rights of developing countries in areas such as health and education.

South Africa, he stressed, unreservedly supports the legitimate struggle of the people and urges the United States to put an end to this cruel system, in order to write a new chapter of hope for Cuba and its people.

In the last UN vote on this resolution, on June 23, 2021, 184 countries (out of 193) were in favor of lifting the blockade, while three (Colombia, Brazil and Ukraine) abstained and only two (the United States and Israel) ratified their opposition.

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