Cuba achieved another moral victory this Thursday for the thirty-first time at the UN, where 187 countries voted in favor of ending the embargo imposed on the island by the United States and in force for sixty years.

Only the United States and Israel voted against the resolution “The need to end the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba.” Ukraine abstained from voting.

“The blockade is an act of economic war in times of peace, aimed at destroying the government’s ability to meet the needs of the population, creating a situation of ungovernability and destroying the constitutional order,” Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez said on the stand.

The resolution reiterates the principle of “equality of states, non-intervention and non-interference in domestic affairs and freedom of international trade and navigation” and expresses “concern at the continued implementation and application” of laws such as those of the US. -Burton (in force since 1996), which has extraterritorial implications for people and companies doing business in Cuba.

More than 80% of the Cuban population has only lived under the regime of unilateral US sanctions imposed by President John F. Kennedy in the middle of the Cold War to suffocate the communist regime on the island.

Cuban authorities estimate that six decades of embargo have caused losses to the Cuban economy of more than $159 billion. Between March 2022 and February 2023 alone, the blockade would have caused losses of $4.867 million and prevented GDP from growing by 9%.

“The blockade, tightened to the limit, remains the essential element determining the foreign policy of the United States towards Cuba,” the chancellor said, reminding Democratic US President Joe Biden that he could eliminate “with a simple signature” what he defined. as a ‘ruthless ‘siege’ on the Cuban people.

“Sanctions are a set of tools in our broader efforts toward Cuba to promote democracy and promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in Cuba. That is why we are against this resolution,” the US representative said as he explained his position at the end of the vote.

Spain, on behalf of the European Union, expressed its “concern” about the human rights situation in Cuba and called for the release of “all political prisoners”.

With the notable absence of developed countries before the vote, despite the majority voting in favor of the resolution, voices from the global South followed each other onto the stage.

Without exception, they advocated individually or on behalf of groups such as the G77+China, the Non-Aligned Movement or CELAC (Latin America and the Caribbean) for the end of “anachronistic”, “ruthless”, “cruel”, “criminal” , “illegal”, “corrosive”, “perverse” or “criminal”.

Every year since 1992, Cuba has presented a draft resolution calling for an end to Washington’s embargo, returning the island to the list of countries that promote terrorism in January 2021, during the final days of Donald Trump’s administration placed. he was between 1982 and 2015, and this includes countries such as North Korea and Iran.

With a few exceptions, the Democratic administration of Joe Biden has maintained the measures that Trump introduced after the thaw initiated by Barak Obama’s administration in 2015.

The Cuban government’s strong repression of anti-government demonstrations in July 2021, which arrested more than 1,000 people – some 700 remain in prison with sentences of up to 25 years – and sent others into exile, did not contribute the desired turnaround expected from the Democratic administration of Joe Biden, after the hardening of the island by his predecessor Donald Trump. (JO)