Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez emphasizes that Havana has lost more than 16 billion dollars in the Biden government
Ap and Reuters
La Jornada Newspaper
Thursday, October 31, 2024, p. 27
New York. The General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) yesterday condemned with 187 votes in favor, including that of Mexico, the economic blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba, for the thirty-second time, after the foreign minister of the Caribbean island, Bruno Rodríguez launched strong criticism against the government of President Joe Biden and expressed his hope that the new US president will put an end to the measure.
The vote among the body’s 193 members was 187-2, with only the United States and Israel voting against the resolution, and Moldova abstaining. It equaled the record of support for the Caribbean nation that was first reached in 2019 and again last year.
The head of Cuban diplomacy, Bruno Rodríguez, blamed the politics of maximum pressure from Washington, with the purpose of depriving Cuba of the imported fuel on which it depends to face the widespread blackouts it has suffered this month.
He specified that the damage caused by 18 days of blockade to the Cuban economy amounts to 252 million dollars. money that the country has lost or stopped receiving and that would be enough to ensure maintenance of thermoelectric plants, thus avoiding power outages.
The General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, but they reflect world opinion, and the vote has given Cuba an annual stage to demonstrate that the United States has no support in its decades-long efforts to isolate to the Caribbean nation.
The blockade was imposed in 1960 after the revolution led by Fidel Castro and the nationalization of properties belonging to American citizens and corporations. The measure was strengthened two years later.
US Deputy Ambassador to the UN Paul Folmsbee told the assembly that his country strongly supports the Cuban people’s quest for a future that respects human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Rodríguez stressed that Cuba has lost more than 16 billion dollars during the Biden presidency and that the measures announced in the last year as supposed palliatives to the embargo are not effective.
The Cuban president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, celebrated the result of the vote.
Little David once again defeated the giant Goliaththe president wrote in his X. Cuba account has once again defeated the neighboring empire that will surely arrogantly ignore global demand, but the dignity of this people and universal solidarity have once again defeated it.
Milei dismisses Foreign Minister for supporting the island
In Buenos Aires, the Argentine president, Javier Milei, dismissed his foreign minister, Diana Mondino, and replaced her with the ambassador in Washington, after Argentina voted against the blockade of Cuba at the UN.
Our country is categorically opposed to the Cuban dictatorship and will remain firm in promoting a foreign policy that condemns all regimes that perpetuate the violation of human rights and individual freedoms. The Executive Branch will begin an audit of the career personnel of the Chancellery, with the objective of identifying promoters of agendas that are enemies of freedom.the government said in a statement.
