UN votes overwhelmingly to condemn US embargo of Cuba

UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to condemn American economic embargo of Cuba for 30th year, with Biden ministration continuing former President Donald Trump's opposition and refusing to return to Obama ministration's 2016 abstention. vote in 193-member General Assembly was 185 countries supporting condemnation, United States and Israel opposing it, and Brazil and Ukraine abstaining.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said before vote that since 2019, US government “has escalated siege around our country, taking it to an even crueler and more humane dimension, with purpose of deliberately inflicting biggest possible damage on Cuban families”.

During first 14 months of Biden ministration, damage to Cuban economy was estimated at USD 6.35 billion, equivalent to more than USD 15 million a day, Rodriguez said. Thursday's 185-2 vote was similar to previous years. General Assembly's vote in November 2019 was 187-3, with US, Israel and Brazil voting “no” and Colombia and Ukraine abstaining.

assembly's 75th session began in September 2020, but because of COVID-19 pandemic vote on Cuba resolution was postponed until June 2021, when vote was 184-2 as US and Israel voted “no” and Brazil, Colombia and Ukraine abstained.

General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding and are unenforceable, but y reflect world opinion and vote has given Cuba an annual stage to demonstrate isolation of US in its deces-old efforts to isolate Caribbean island nation. embargo was imposed in 1960 following revolution led by Fidel Castro and nationalisation of properties belonging to US citizens and corporations. Two years later it was strengned.

n Cuban President Raul Castro and President Barack Obama officially restored relations in July 2016, and that year US abstained on resolution calling for an end to embargo for first time. But Obama's successor, Donald Trump, sharply criticized Cuba's human rights record, and in 2017 US again voted against resolution. (AP) PY PY