The United Nations General Assembly has, once again, overwhelmingly voted in favour of Cuba’s resolution demanding the end of the US blockade. In a strong show of support for Cuba, 184 countries voted in favour, and only 2 against (US and Israel), while 3 countries abstained (Colombia, UAE and Ukraine).

This was the 29th vote on the blockade, but the first under the Biden administration. There has been no change of policy since his election in January 2021. This is the longest blockade inflicted against a country and its people in modern history.

In an updated report to the United Nations on the impact of US sanctions during April-December 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cuba said that the intensification of the blockade during this time forced the island “to fight against the most terrible pandemic in decades and against the lengthiest and all-embracing system of coercive measures ever. There is no justification for such gargantuan cruelty.”

The cost of the US blockade against Cuba since its imposition almost six decades ago amounts to over 147.8 billion dollars. Between April and December 2020 alone, it cost the Cuban economy more than $3.5 billion. During this time the US government deliberately blocked a delivery of medical equipment and PPE to help fight COVID-19.

Since 1991, the Cuban government has submitted to the United Nations General Assembly the draft resolution “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo of the United States of America against Cuba”, which every year receives the support of the international community.

Today, for the 29th time, the US and its ally, Israel, shamefully continues to support this cruel and cynical blockade, which has been escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic, in defiance of world opinion.

The two states which opposed the ending of the blockade, and indeed the three regimes which abstained, all have a record of repression, exploitation and injustice.   

The Workers Party applauds Cuba which clearly has world opinion on its side, condemns this continuing US crime against Cuba and its people and calls for an immediate and unconditional end to the blockade.

The US still fears the revolutionary example of Cuba which puts people before profits and which through its many humanitarian missions, solidarity and selfless internationalism is an inspiration to humanity. The world has again spoken. It is time to end the blockade.