Last year, the US and Israel were the only two countries to oppose the resolution.
In the latest annual meeting, only the US and Israel supported the Washington policy to maintain economic and trade restrictions on Cuba. The resolution’s full title is the “necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba”. 187 countries voted in favor, while 2 voted against and 1 abstained. The embargo has been criticized for violating the rights of all Cuban men and women, as well as having a detrimental effect on the Cuban people and those living abroad.
The Cuban foreign minister, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, expressed his country’s support for the resolution, noting that the US blockade was an “act of economic warfare, in times of peace”, creating a situation of ungovernability and an attempt to destroy the constitutional order. He also reiterated Cuba’s solidarity with the Palestinian people, currently being massacred on their illegally occupied land.
The US foreign minister, Paul Folmsbee, argued that sanctions were “one set of tools” in the US’ broader effort towards encouraging Cuba to advance democracy and promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. He also noted that sanctions include exemptions and authorizations relating to exports of food, medicines, and other humanitarian goods to Cuba.