The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), in a historic vote, has reiterated its long-standing call for the United States to put an end to the decades-long trade embargo against Cuba. This call comes at a critical juncture in Cuba’s history, as the nation grapples with its most severe economic crisis in decades, marked by crippling shortages of essential resources such as food, fuel, and medicine.
The vote, which occurred in the 193-member General Assembly, showcased the substantial global support for Cuba in this matter, with 187 countries including India voting in favour of lifting the embargo. The United States and Israel remained steadfast in their opposition, while Ukraine opted to abstain from the vote. Notably, Somalia, Venezuela, and Moldova did not cast their votes.
The growing number of countries supporting this resolution demonstrates the international community’s deep concern regarding the adverse impact of the trade embargo on Cuba. The 187 “yes” votes this year, up from 185 last year and 184 in 2021, underscore the increasing consensus that the embargo must be lifted to alleviate the suffering of the Cuban people.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, in his impassioned address to the UN Assembly, emphasized how the embargo severely restricts Cuba’s access to essential resources like food, medicines, and technological and medical equipment. The trade restrictions also prevent Cuba from exporting its products to the United States, thereby limiting its access to a significant market and resulting in substantial financial losses. In fact, the economic losses caused by the embargo are staggering, with Cuba reportedly losing nearly $5 billion in 2022 alone. Rodriguez went as far as to label the embargo as a “crime of genocide,” arguing that US. policies are intentionally designed to inflict suffering on the Cuban people to force changes in the government.
The impact of the embargo is not lost on other nations. Representatives from various countries voiced their concerns during the debate. For example, Gabon’s UN representative, Aurelie Flore Koumba Pambo, highlighted the harm caused by the embargo to the Cuban people and its adverse effects on regional and continental cohesion. She went on to describe it as an “obstacle to the social and economic development of Cuba.”
Peruvian UN Ambassador Luis Ugarelli expressed Peru’s long-standing support for ending the embargo, echoing the view that it goes against the principles of the UN Charter and international human rights law. The trade embargo, imposed in 1960 following the Cuban revolution led by Fidel Castro and the nationalization of properties belonging to US. citizens and corporations, has remained a contentious issue between the United States and Cuba.
While there was a brief period of rapprochement between the two countries during Barack Obama’s presidency, with the restoration of diplomatic relations in 2016 and the US abstaining from the resolution calling for an end to the embargo, the situation took a turn under the administration of Donald Trump. Trump criticized Cuba’s human rights record and led the United States to vote against the resolution once again in 2017.
Despite some gestures of goodwill under the Biden administration, the dispute between the two nations shows little sign of resolution. President Joe Biden has taken minor steps to ease restrictions on Cuba, such as expanding consular services, but significant sanctions introduced by the previous administration remain in place.
Cuba’s economic woes are aggravated by what some experts consider its most severe crisis since the 1959 Cuban Revolution. The country is experiencing a shortage of basic food products, and it is increasingly reliant on imports, with the government struggling to secure the necessary funds to cover these imports. Even staple foods like sugar, rice, beans, and coffee now need to be imported.
One aspect of the embargo is the impact on the agricultural sector, where Cuba has been importing a significant portion of its food products. Despite speeches emphasizing sustainable agriculture policies, the country’s domestic food production is declining. This situation further hampers Cuba’s ability to provide for its people.
Despite the economic challenges, Cuba is undergoing a transformation with the establishment of small and medium-sized private companies. These businesses have been legalized since September 2021, resulting in the launch of over 8,000 new companies in Cuba.
However, the embargo remains a major hurdle in Cuba’s path to economic recovery. It continues to affect the lives of the Cuban people and hinders the nation’s development. With approximately 1,000 political prisoners still in custody and the country facing severe economic hardships, the call to end the trade embargo persists on the international stage. It is clear that the embargo’s impact extends far beyond a simple trade dispute; it touches the lives of millions of Cubans who are suffering from shortages of essential goods and economic difficulties. The humanitarian aspect of this issue cannot be ignored.
Cuba, once seen as a potential economic partner for the United States, now finds itself in a situation where its economic growth is stunted, and its people are experiencing the harsh consequences of the embargo. The embargo, which began in 1960 as a response to the Cuban revolution and the nationalization of US. properties, has evolved into a complex web of laws and regulations that hinder financial transactions and the acquisition of goods and services from the US by the Cuban government.
One notable aspect of the embargo is that, since 2001, the US. has made exceptions, allowing Cuba to import food products and medicines as long as they pay US. companies in cash in advance. Reuters reports that US. companies sold Cuba $295 million in agricultural products in 2022, primarily consisting of chicken, wheat, and soybeans. While these exceptions are a step in the right direction, they are not enough to alleviate the immense economic burden faced by Cuba.
