The United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday adopted with 187 votes in favor, two against and one abstention the thirty-second resolution that demands the cessation of the United States blockade against Cuba.
The result confirms Washington’s international isolation in its policy against Havana, described as obsolete and meaningless.
The delegations of the United States and Israel voted against — in favor of the blockade — while Moldova abstained.
The resolution calls on states to refrain from enacting and applying laws and coercive measures, in accordance with their obligations under the United Nations Charter and international law, which, among other things, reaffirm freedom of trade and navigation.
It also urges the adoption of the necessary provisions to repeal or render them void as soon as possible.
The vote was accompanied by a detailed report prepared by the UN General Secretariat with input from 180 countries and thirty organizations affiliated to the forum.
Agencies such as the United Nations Children’s Fund, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Food Program or the global entities for Trade and Tourism point out the critical effects of this policy in each of their areas of interest.
According to the Cuban delegation, the blockade is the cornerstone of the policy of maximum pressure against the Caribbean island. The prolongation of the unilateral measures with the greatest impact on the people and the economy continue to reproduce and aggravate the devastating effects of the blockade, the longest and most comprehensive in history.
This policy is maintained with the historical objective of depressing the economy and salaries, creating material shortages and damage to public services, causing dissatisfaction and despair in the population and subverting the legitimately established constitutional order.
“The blockade is a crime against humanity, an act of genocide and a flagrant, massive and systematic violation of the human rights of more than 11 million Cubans. It is a cruel policy of punishment,” the document also acknowledged.
The report presented by Cuba estimates losses worth 5,056.8 million dollars as a result of the blockade between March 2023 and February 29, 2024, which represents an increase of 189.8 million compared to the previous report.
The aggressive policy causes an approximate monthly impact of more than 421 million dollars, more than 13.8 million daily, and more than 575,683 in damages per hour.