Defying U.S. pressure, U.N. votes to end blockade against Cuba

New York City

For the 33rd consecutive year, the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly voted in support of a resolution to end the U.S. economic blockade against Cuba, with 165 countries in favor, seven opposed and 12 abstentions.

The U.S. imposed the criminal blockade in 1962 as an act of warfare to strangle Cuba economically and undermine the socialist path of development that began with Cuba’s historic Jan. 1, 1959, revolution.

Israel is the only country that routinely votes with the U.S. against the resolution.

In 2024, these two countries cast the sole no votes while Moldova abstained. This year the U.S. government waged a campaign to pressure countries to change their positions. 

Reuters reported on Oct. 5 that the U.S. government sent a cable to dozens of countries’ missions in the U.S. demanding that their governments oppose the nonbinding resolution, titled Necessity of Ending the Economic, Commercial and Financial Embargo Imposed by the United States of America Against Cuba. 

U.N. representatives debated the resolution on Oct. 28 and 29. Speaking on the first day, U.S. Permanent Representative Mike Waltz falsely stated that Cuba is collaborating with enemies of the U.S. against U.S. interests, supporting terrorist groups, allowing mercenaries to fight the war in Ukraine, propping up Venezuela and trafficking drugs.

Cuba’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla interrupted Waltz with a call for a point of order: “The Permanent Representative of the United States Waltz is not only lying,” but doing so in “an uncivilized, crude and gross way that is not acceptable in this democratic forum.”  He added: “Mr. Waltz, this is the United Nations General Assembly. It is not a Signal chat, nor is it the House of Representatives.”

Addressing the Assembly before the vote on the second day, Rodríguez described the devastating impact the blockade has had on Cuba’s 11 million people.  He said it has deprived Cuba of the use of banking systems to make payments and collect funds, of sources of financing, investment capital and remittances, of technology for its industries, food production and infrastructure, scientific development and services.

Rodríguez explained that because of the blockade infant and maternal mortality have risen and life expectancy and access to medicines has been reduced. The long blockade has cut off suppliers, which has caused an exponential rise in prices, and created electrical blackouts every day. The embargo has also curtailed tourism, as the U.S. has threatened reprisals against more than 40 countries if their citizens visit Cuba. Between March 2024 and February 2025 the blockade cost Cuba an estimated $7.5 billion in material damage.

A ‘comprehensive program of destabilization’

Rodríguez stated: “The economic warfare includes a comprehensive program of destabilization,” which is financed and executed directly by the U.S. government through right-wing operatives of Cuban origin based in the U.S. and other countries. He said the goal is to lower the incomes of the Cuban population through speculative manipulation of the exchange rate, which has a direct impact on price increases and the market’s operation.

Rodríguez said this was the first time he was condemning these operations before the General Assembly. He also denounced the unjustifiable inclusion of Cuba on the U.S. government’s list of states allegedly sponsoring terrorism, arguing that Cuba is a victim of terrorism and that terrorist acts against the country are still being organized and financed by right-wing forces in the United States. He noted that in 2023, Cuba gave the U.S. government information on 62 terrorists and 20 terrorist organizations acting against Cuba in the U.S. So far the U.S. government has done nothing about it. 

Rodriguez strongly emphasized: “No one in their right mind with a modicum of honesty can claim that Cuba represents or intends to represent a threat to the national security of the United States which is a great power, or to the well-being of the American people. Which country threatens regional peace, security and stability, particularly the peace and right to self-determination of the kindred Venezuelan people?”

He continued: “Which country has adopted the criminal practice of ordering its armed forces to commit murders in the high seas or within the territorial jurisdictional waters of other countries as we see today in the Caribbean or in the Pacific? Which country has a region riddled with military bases and openly plots aggressive plans of subversion and regime change against progressive governments? Which government is the direct accomplice, the provider of weapons and financing for the genocide in Gaza?”

Other U.N. representatives spoke against the blockade, asserting that it was in violation of international law and causing immense harm to the Cuban people. 

Zimbabwe’s Deputy Permanent Representative Irene Juru stated: “That the General Assembly has been tasked with this matter for the 33rd consecutive year is a stark reminder that the will of the international community continues to be disregarded. This persistent defiance of international law has subjected the Cuban people to prolonged hardships and constitutes a flagrant violation of their sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.”

Nicaragua Minister of Foreign Affairs Denis Rolando Moncada Colindres called for a new multipolar world, stating, “The peoples are strengthening their paths towards the already obvious multipolar order, forging more just and solidarity-based partnerships rooted in full respect of the sovereignty of states and firmly challenging the imperialism, colonialism and neocolonialism that still aims to impose itself over the will of free peoples.” 

Abstentions, “no” votes based on false accusations

The representative from Poland’s right-wing government  — who also spoke on behalf of Czechia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — said they were abstaining from the vote because allegedly Cuba was ignoring the issue of Cuban nationals participating in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. 

Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an October 11 statement rejecting allegations that Cuba is part of the armed conflict in Ukraine. It said that between 2023 and 2025, Cuban courts have conducted nine criminal proceedings involving 40 defendants charged with mercenarism. Trials have been held in eight of these cases, and in five, guilty verdicts were handed down against 26 defendants, with sentences ranging from five to 14 years.

The seven countries voting against the resolution were Argentina, Hungary, Israel, North Macedonia, Paraguay, Ukraine and the United States. The 12 countries abstaining were Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Morocco, Poland, Moldova and Romania.

Following the vote, Rodríguez greeted Cuban solidarity activists in the U.N. lobby and expressed gratitude for their support.