HAVANA, Oct. 23 — The United States is “intimidating” countries into voting against a resolution at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that calls for an end to the decades-long U.S. embargo on Cuba, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said on Wednesday.
Speaking at a press conference in Havana, Rodriguez accused the White House of exerting “intimidating and deceptive” pressure, particularly on countries in Latin America and Europe, in an attempt to sway these nations’ positions on the resolution.
The top Cuban diplomat presented what he called “irrefutable” evidence of a campaign that began two weeks ago — two documents dated Oct. 8 and 17, which were sent by Washington to various world capitals, pressuring governments to oppose the resolution by claiming that Cuba poses a “threat” to the United States.
Rodriguez condemned these documents as “slanderous and disrespectful” and argued they undermine the sovereignty of other nations.
He also accused Washington of attempting to “deceive” the international community and obscure the “serious damage” caused by the embargo, which has lasted for more than six decades.
“The blockade is the main cause of our economic problems and the main obstacle to our development,” having resulted in “deprivation, suffering, hardship and shortages,” Rodriguez stressed.
According to figures from the Cuban Foreign Ministry, the blockade caused economic losses of 7.556 billion U.S. dollars between March 2024 and February 2025.
Despite the U.S. efforts to spread “misinformation” and “confusion,” Rodriguez expressed confidence that the resolution would pass with an “overwhelming majority” at the upcoming UNGA session.
The non-binding resolution, which Cuba has submitted annually since 1992, has consistently received near-unanimous support in recent years.
The UNGA vote is scheduled for next week, with the draft resolution calling for an end to the “economic, trade, and financial blockade” imposed by the United States on Cuba. (Xinhua)
