60 years on, the world remains united in its opposition to the US blockade of Cuba
25th November 2022
By Tariq Anderson, Cuba Solidarity Campaign
After decades of economic war waged against Cuba, the world remains as united as ever in its opposition and condemnation of the US-imposed blockade.
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) met on the 3rd November 2022 and, for the 30th straight year, voted to condemn the blockade and voted in support of Cuba’s resolution calling for its end. 189 member states took part in the vote, with an overwhelming 185 states voting in favour, 2 abstaining (Brazil and Ukraine) and just 2 voting against (Israel and the United States).
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the illegal and inhumane blockade, first introduced by President John F. Kennedy in February 1962 with the signing of ‘Proclamation 3447 – Embargo on All Trade with Cuba’. The blockade represents the longest and most comprehensive set of sanctions in modern history and, as a memorandum written by the then US Assistant Secretary of State in 1960 made clear, US policy towards the island was intended to “weaken the economic life of Cuba… to bring about hunger, desperation and overthrow of government.”
At the UNGA, Cuba’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, noted that more than 80 per cent of the Cuban population had been born under the blockade and set out the enormous economic, political and social impact that the blockade has had. During the first 14 months of Joe Biden’s term in office, the economic damage cause by the blockade amounted to $6.36 billion and the cumulative economic damage that had been inflicted on the island over the past 60 years amounts to an extraordinary $154.22 billion (at current prices).
The economic difficulties that Cuba faces continue to have a significant impact on the lives of the Cuban people – from shortages of basic food items and medicines, planned power cuts and delays to public transport. Despite promises made during his presidential campaign, the Biden administration has left the blockade in place and recent announcements to reverse some of Donald Trump’s policies are yet to be implemented.
More:
https://labouroutlook.org/2022/11/25/60-years-on-the-world-remains-united-in-its-opposition-to-the-us-blockade-of-cuba/
= new reply since forum marked as read
