The United Nations has called on the United States Government to end the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed in Cuba for more than six decades. The resolution was adopted by a majority vote at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

187 countries, 96% of the 193 UN Member States, have supported the end of the Cuban blockade. There have been two votes against the United States and Israel and one abstention from Ukraine.

The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterre, has said that the blocking of the URL0. established in Cuba is “a manifest use of political and economic power”: “It clearly violates human rights and hinders the road to development”.

Blocking shadow

The Cuban Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodríguez, has denounced that the blockade “violates the right of Cubans to life, health and well-being”: “The Government has not abandoned the intentional effort to cut off sources of funding and supply to generate hunger, suffering and instability.”

In this sense, Rodríguez points out that more than 80% of Cubans do not know the country without blockade. It has also stressed that the Government of EE.UU. "lies" when it says that "the blockade does not prevent access to medicines and medical equipment": “In the COVID-19 pandemic, Cuba was forced to buy fans and other means, on the pretext that the companies that produce them are subsidiaries of American companies.”

Economic impact in figures

Rodriguez said that between March 2022 and February 2023 the Cuban economy was affected by $4,867 million, which would amount to more than $405 million per month, more than $13 million per day and more than $555 000 per hour.

It also notes that total economic damage based on current prices exceeds $159,084.3 “taking into account the dollar’s behaviour against the value of gold in the international market”. On the other hand, it stresses that if there is no blockade, Cuba’s gross domestic product (GDP) could grow by 9% in 2022.