United Nations votes to condemns US blockade by 185 to 2
News from Cuba | Thursday, 3 November 2022
The United Nations General Assembly has voted for the 30th year to condemn the US blockade and in support for Cuba’s resolution calling for an end to the US governments unilateral sanctions against the country which have been in place for over 60 years.
The vote was 185:2 in favour of the Cuban motion with the US and Israel voting against and Brazil and Ukraine abstaining.
Speaker after speaker addressed the UNGA to condemn the US sanctions, Cuba’s continued inclusion on the US ‘State Sponsor of Terrorism List’, and to praise the island’s internationalism.
Permanent Representative of Saint Kitts and Nevis to the United Nations, Nerys Dockery said that as her country's youngest and first female representative says she owes her ability to deliver her speech to Cuba. Only five months ago she was facing losing her right eye, she said, but it was saved by a Cuban optician. She asked "what justifies Cuba, a small Caribbean nation, which has a such a disproportionately positive impact on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and whose internationalism and humanitarianism has saved, impacted and empowered so many human lives. What justifies it continuing to be burdened and limited by an outdated embargo."
The Peruvian representative said, “Any measure that leads to adverse humanitarian consequences on the population by any state must be suspended immediately.
The blockade violates the right to life and health of all the Cuban people.”
Closing his speech the Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez appealed:“Let Cuba live in peace. Cuba would be better off without the blockade. Every Cuban family would be better off without the blockade. The US would be better off without the blockade.”
The full debate and vote can be watched on the United Nations website here.
Read Cuba’s report into the impact of the blockade here
Bruno Rodriguez's speech during the debate
Sign the Cuba Solidarity Campaign’s open letter calling on President Joe Biden to end the blockade
