In brief
In New York, the UN General Assembly approved a resolution to end the U.S. embargo against Cuba with 130 votes in favour, 17 against and 25 abstentions – a drop of 35 pro‑Cuba votes from 2025. The vote sparked strong statements from Cuban officials, African and Italian advocates for solidarity, and a warning from the U.S. that Cuba’s own policies were to blame for the shift. Despite the setback, Cuba and its allies celebrated the result as a symbolic victory against Washington’s pressure.
In New York, at the United Nations General Assembly, the resolution to end the U.S. embargo on Cuba was approved by 130 nations, with 17 voting against and 25 abstaining, compared with 165 in favour, seven against and 12 abstentions a year earlier. The outcome marked a loss of 35 pro‑Cuba votes in one year while the number of opponents and abstentions rose significantly.
During the debate, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla condemned the economic and humanitarian toll of the sanctions, stating the US fuel restrictions were “equivalent to a naval blockade” and accusing Washington of “collective punishment and genocide.”
“The consequences fall on people, limit their fundamental human rights, affect third countries and turn the population's essential needs into instruments of political coercion,” Rodríguez said in a statement posted on X.
Prior to the vote, African leaders were urged by Pan‑Africanist analyst Fortune Madondo to adopt a unified stance for Cuba. “Let us be categorical and direct from the front lines: a unified stance—with no whispers or abstentions—in support of the Caribbean island at the General Assembly,” Madondo wrote in articles published by Modern Ghana and Southern African Eye News.
In Rome, Italian academic‑scholar Luciano Vasapollo called for international solidarity, urging European governments to reject Washington’s pressure. He highlighted the humanitarian impact of sanctions, citing an example of a mother who secured in‑home support and a wheelchair for her disabled child through the Cuban government’s “Criterio Compartido” program.
The National Italy‑Cuba Friendship Association sent a letter to Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani on October 22, urging Italy to continue its historical opposition to the U.S. blockade and to vote favourably on the resolution set for October 28. The letter reminded Tajani that previous Italian governments had maintained a consistent anti‑embargo stance and cautioned against the influence of U.S. Senator Marco Rubio.
Cuban Ambassador Leyde Rodriguez to the Holy See decried the blockade as “genocidal,” reporting that damages had risen to $8.083 billion between March 2025 and February 2026 – a seven percent increase over the previous year’s peak – and that cumulative losses over the blockade’s history amounted to $178.7 billion in current prices.
U.S. officials, citing the UPI report, blamed Cuba’s internal policy for the vote’s outcome and criticized the conduct of Cuban delegates, claiming Washington’s influence had not been swayed.
Despite the reduced support, Cuban President Miguel Diaz‑Canel celebrated the vote as a “victory for the heroic Cuban people,” stating it was a triumph of truth over “lies and blackmail.” The resolution, the 34th time the international community has urged an end to the embargo, was adopted 130‑to‑17 with 25 abstentions, marking a symbolic moment for Havana amid ongoing U.S. pressure.”}
