HAMILTON, Canada – In a resounding display of global consensus, the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday adopted a resolution demanding the immediate termination of the United States' long-standing economic, commercial, and financial embargo against Cuba. The vote, held in the 184-member chamber at UN headquarters in New York, saw 165 nations in favor, marking the 33rd consecutive year the assembly has passed such a measure.
Only seven countries opposed the resolution: the United States, Israel, Ukraine, Hungary, Paraguay, Argentina, and North Macedonia. Twelve nations abstained, including Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Morocco. The non-binding resolution, while lacking enforcement power, serves as a symbolic yet powerful rebuke of U.S. policy and underscores the near-universal international opposition to the decades-old sanctions.
The embargo, initially imposed by the United States in 1960 following the Cuban Revolution and the nationalization of American-owned properties, has evolved into one of the longest-running unilateral sanction regimes in modern history. It was significantly expanded in 1962 under President John F. Kennedy and further codified through legislation in the 1990s, including the Helms-Burton Act of 1996, which tightened restrictions on trade and travel.
Speaking ahead of the vote, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Eduardo Rodríguez Parrilla delivered a forceful condemnation of the U.S. position, directly challenging remarks made by U.S. envoy Mike Waltz. Waltz had accused Cuba of providing material support to "terrorist organizations around the globe," a claim rooted in Cuba’s past associations with leftist insurgencies and its inclusion on the U.S. State Sponsors of Terrorism list since 1982 (with a brief removal under President Barack Obama in 2015, only to be reinstated in 2021 under President Donald Trump).
"Cuba is a victim of terrorism," Rodríguez Parrilla countered, citing a history of attacks orchestrated from U.S. soil, including the 1976 bombing of Cubana de Aviación Flight 455, which killed all 73 passengers and crew, and numerous assassination attempts against Fidel Castro. "Terrorist acts against our country have been and continue to be organized and financed from U.S. territory," he asserted, pointing to exile groups in Miami known for anti-Castro activities.
Rodríguez Parrilla emphasized Cuba’s resilience in the face of economic strangulation. "Cuba will not surrender," he declared. "We will continue our efforts to overcome current difficulties and ensure the economic sustainability of our nation, even if the blockade persists or is strengthened."
He framed the resolution not as a political gesture, but as "an act of justice in favor of a peace-loving people," urging all member states to support the draft. The Cuban foreign minister highlighted the human cost of the embargo, which Havana estimates has caused over $159 billion in cumulative economic damages since its inception—adjusted for inflation and gold prices—a figure the U.S. disputes but which independent analysts acknowledge has severely constrained Cuba’s access to international finance, technology, and markets.
Despite limited reforms under the Obama administration—including the reestablishment of diplomatic relations in 2015 and eased travel and remittance rules—the core architecture of the embargo remains intact. A partial exemption carved out in 2000 under the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act permits U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba on a cash-only basis, but prohibits government financing or credit, rendering trade logistically complex and costly.
The Biden administration, which inherited the reinstated restrictions from its predecessor, has made modest adjustments, such as resuming some consular services and flights, but has stopped short of lifting the embargo or removing Cuba from the terrorism list—a move that would unlock access to global financial institutions like the IMF and World Bank.
The annual UN vote has become a ritual of diplomatic theater, with near-unanimous support reflecting not only solidarity with Cuba but also broader frustration with unilateral U.S. sanctions that bypass multilateral frameworks. European Union nations, traditionally critical of the embargo, voted en bloc in favor, as did major Latin American powers like Brazil, Mexico, and Venezuela.
Notably, the seven opposing votes included several U.S. allies. Ukraine’s opposition aligns with its reliance on American military and financial support amid its ongoing conflict with Russia. Hungary and Paraguay have deepened ties with Washington in recent years, while Argentina’s vote under President Javier Milei reflects his administration’s ideological alignment with free-market policies and skepticism of socialist governance. Israel’s consistent opposition mirrors its close strategic partnership with the United States. North Macedonia, a NATO member, also sided with Washington.
The abstentions—fewer than in previous years—suggest a hardening of positions, with fewer nations opting for neutrality. Morocco, a U.S. security partner in North Africa, and Ecuador, navigating domestic political shifts, were among those withholding full endorsement.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has repeatedly called the embargo "counterproductive," arguing it harms ordinary Cubans without achieving stated U.S. policy goals of promoting democracy or human rights. Independent reports from organizations like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International document widespread shortages of medicine, food, and fuel in Cuba, exacerbated by the embargo, though they also attribute significant responsibility to internal mismanagement and corruption.
Supporters of the U.S. policy, including Cuban-American lawmakers and exile organizations, maintain that the embargo is a legitimate tool to pressure Havana over its authoritarian governance, political prisoners, and foreign alignments with adversaries like Russia, Iran, and North Korea. They argue that lifting sanctions without democratic reforms would reward repression.
Yet the lopsided vote underscores the embargo’s isolation on the world stage. Since the first resolution in 1992, support has grown steadily—from 59 in favor to Wednesday’s 165—reflecting shifting geopolitics, the end of the Cold War, and increasing recognition of the policy’s humanitarian toll.
As Cuba grapples with its worst economic crisis in decades—marked by blackouts, inflation above 30%, and mass emigration—the UN vote serves as both moral vindication for Havana and a diplomatic embarrassment for Washington. While the resolution carries no legal weight, it amplifies pressure on the U.S. to reconsider a policy increasingly viewed as an anachronism.
For now, the embargo endures, a relic of 20th-century ideology clashing with 21st-century realities. But with each passing year, the General Assembly’s message grows clearer: the world wants it ended.
