Countries Double Down on Support for Cuba as UN Votes to End the US Embargo

Advocates vie for an economic system disconnected from the American embargo on Cuba. Source: AP Photos/Ismael Francisco

On Thursday, Nov. 2, a simple majority of member states in the United Nations voted to end the embargo on Cuba. Out of the 193 participating countries, 187 supported the resolution to repeal the embargo. 

The resolution, titled “Necessity of Ending the Economic, Commercial and Financial Embargo Imposed by the United States of America against Cuba,” referred back to the changes made during the Obama administration between 2015 and 2016 which sought to normalize relationships between the US and Cuba. The new resolution set a new record in the number of member states in favor of terminating the economic embargo on the Caribbean island-state. The United States and Israel were the only two nations to vote against the proposition, while Somalia, Venezuela and Moldova abstained.

While the vote certainly shows the support that Cuba has from the democratic UN body, the resolution has limited effectiveness. Traditionally, “resolutions adopted by the GA on agenda items are considered to be recommendations and are not legally binding on the Member States,” according to the United Nations. 

Cuba was added to the US list of state sponsors of terrorism (SSOT) in 1982 during the Reagan Administration, when there was a growing concern in the US about extremist movements in Latin America. The country’s status as a sponsor of terrorism is volatile. The US State Department decided to remove it from the list shortly after President Barack Obama announced the U.S. would normalize relations with Cuba. Nevertheless, the Trump Administration decided to reinstate its status on the list allegedly because of Cuba’s relationship with the National Liberation Army (ELN) in Colombia. 

Despite the blockade, the Cuban government vows to “continue build[ing] bridges with the people of the US,” said Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla at Thursday’s General Assembly meeting. Pushing past the embargo, the Cuban government has been striving to expand its international reach. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Caribbean nation provided aid to countries like Italy, and established state-sponsored study abroad programs through the Latin American School of Medicine.

Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla speaking at a press conference in Havana, Cuba in 2022. Source: Reuters/Alexandre Meneghini

While The United States has remained steadfast in their disapproval of the Cuban government, many Latin American countries have been increasing their support for Cuba economically and politically. Alicia Buenrostro, the Mexican Ambassador to the UN, expressed Mexico’s unwavering support for Cuban solidarity, and reinstated normalized economic relations. Buenrostro voiced her country’s support, saying, “It’s high time to open a new chapter and allow Cuba to participate fully in the global community without the restrictions imposed by this unjust and inhumane blockade and the inclusion of the island on the list of state sponsors of terrorism.” 

Mexico is one of the few countries to foster a positive economic relationship with Cuba. As of late, Mexico and Cuba recently agreed to support each other in the production of sugar. On Oct. 22, in a conference with other Latin American leaders, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador also denounced the US embargo and pledged support for Cuba.

In response to the United States’ decision to vote no on the resolution, the US representative to the UN, Paul Folmsbee, said, “We strongly support their pursuit of a future with respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.” According to the UN’s statement on the vote, he said, “the US recognizes the challenges the Cuban people face, explaining that sanctions include exemptions and authorizations relating to exports of food, medicines, and other humanitarian goods to Cuba.” Joe Biden promised to repeal many of the sanctions that Donald Trump imposed on Cuba during his presidency, however, Biden’s administration also began deporting Cuban immigrants in April.

The UN vote follows Chilean President Gabriel Boric’s visit to Washington DC on Thursday. The two heads of state spoke about a variety of topics ranging from the Israel-Palestine conflict to the status of Cuban-American relations. While at the White House, Boric took the opportunity to call for the removal of the embargo as well as the removal of Cuba from the US list of SSOT.