At 10 AM New York time, the United Nations General Assembly is debating the decades-long embargo imposed by the US on Cuba. The Cuban foreign minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, is introducing the draft resolution now, claiming that the blockade violates the rights of all Cuban men and women. Despite wavers on food products, the US is violating rules of international trade, he said.
The Representative of Gabon, Ambassador Aurélie Flore Koumba Pambo, voiced her country’s concern over the continuing embargo. She said the “economic blockade is a “clearly a hostile act to region and continental cohesion”, and has a negative impact on culture, public health and the wellbeing of Cuba’s people.
Paula Narváez Ojeda, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Chile, reaffirmed her country’s conviction that the implementation of unliteral coercive measures runs counter to international law. Chile does not agree with the imposition of unilateral sanctions of any kind, the only legitimate sanctions are those adopted by the Security Council in the exercise of its authority for the maintainance of international peace and security,” she said.
At the end of the debate, the Assembly is expected to vote on a draft resolution entitled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba.” Last year, 185 Member States voted in favour to 2 against (Israel, United States), with 2 abstentions (Brazil, Ukraine).