UN assembly calls on the US (for the 20th time) to lift trade embargo against Cuba
The UN General Assembly called on Tuesday for the 20th straight year on the United States to lift its trade embargo against Cuba, as the communist-run island dismissed as fraudulent US moves to ease some restrictions.
As in past years, the vote in the annual ritual was overwhelming, with 186 nations -- including most of Washington's closest allies -- supporting the resolution on the embargo, a result virtually unchanged from last year.
Only Israel, heavily dependent on US backing in the Middle East, supported the United States in opposing the non-binding resolution, while the tiny Pacific states of the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau abstained.
In January, President Barack Obama further loosened curbs on US travel and remittances to Cuba. He said last month he was ready to change Cuba policy but was still waiting for signals from Havana such as the release of political prisoners and guarantees of basic human rights.
But Obama has not lifted the 49-year-old trade embargo and analysts see no chance of him doing so as he faces a re-election campaign next year. Many staunchly anti-communist Cuban exiles live in the electoral key state of Florida.
Presenting the resolution, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said Washington had not relaxed its Cuba policy, which he said had caused, over the years, 975 billion dollars of economic damage to his Caribbean nation.
“Despite the false image of flexibility that the current US administration intends to portray, the blockade and the sanctions remain intact, they are fully implemented and their extraterritorial character has been intensified in recent years,” he said.
Obama's stance “is the same worn-out, repetitive position anchored in the past,” he added.
Rodriguez, whose speech was greeted with prolonged applause by the assembly, also signalled there would be no concessions by Havana. “What the US government wants to see changed will not change,” he declared.
Suggested Stories
-
May 21st 2013
Venezuelan overture to the US: “time to resume diplomatic representation at the highest level”
-
May 21st 2013
Massive money easing in rich countries making Latam currencies too strong
-
May 21st 2013
OAS General Assembly will hold major debate on the drug problem in the Americas
-
May 20th 2013
Brazil trapped by Argentina and Venezuela economic mismanagements
6 comments Feed
Note: Comments do not reflect MercoPress’ opinions. They are the personal view of our users. We wish to keep this as open and unregulated as possible. However, rude or foul language, discriminative comments (based on ethnicity, religion, gender, nationality, sexual orientation or the sort), spamming or any other offensive or inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated. Please report any inadequate posts to the editor. Comments must be in English. Thank you.
This is not true.
Brasil, in particular, has put big investment of taxpayer's money into Cuba through BNDES.
China, Spain, Venezuela AND the USA are even bigger providers of trade (Cuban imports by country of origin, 2009).
The USA, like any other nation, has the right to trade - or not trade - with whom ever it wants.
See Cuba's Foreign Relations, page 15
books.google.co.uk/books?id=KGKzi__WxJIC&pg=PA15&lpg=PA15&dq=cuba+trade+financial+support+brazil&source=bl&ots=7kL0UVLXwg&sig=BLjlUtobyf0iHtXTR66tdp4Z9g8&hl=en&ei=cNynTuCXMIHqgQfVvrz2Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CEoQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=cuba%20trade%20financial%20support%20brazil&f=false
No play on words
or freedom to trade or not trade
changes any of that. ”
Yes, I feel mighty sorry for the Cuban people;
their plight is rooted in the political dogma of their ruler(s), not trade.
I betray my political allegiance by refering you to:
'Guia Politicamente Incorrecto da América Latina'
by Leandro Narloch e Duda Teixeira (Veja journalistas)
- particularly the first section on Che Guevara, a false prophet, if ever I saw one!
Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!