UN Vote on Anti-Blockade Resolution
United Nations, Oct 26. -For the 19th consecutive year, the UN General Assembly will vote on Tuesday on a resolution demanding the end of the almost 50-year U.S. blockade of Cuba.
The subject is agenda item No. 41 of the current UN session, under the heading "The Necessity of Ending the Economic, Commercial and Financial Blockade Imposed by the United States of America Against Cuba."
Tuesday morning's debate on the resolution will be attended by Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez.
About 30 heads of state and government and foreign ministers from several countries reiterated their condemnation of the blockade a month ago in the General Assembly.
There has not been any change in Washington's policy of blockade and subversion against Cuba in the last two years, the island's foreign minister noted.
On the contrary, the extraterritorial effects of the blockade have been amplified in that time, with the increase of fines and sanctions, and is hindering Cuban financial transactions with third countries, Rodriguez said.
The annual report presented by Cuba on the issue states that the U.S. siege remains intact, with its complex web of laws and legal regulations.
This is also the longest and most unyielding blockade applied by the United States in history against any country, despite its violation of international law and the UN Charter's purposes and principles.
The first UN vote on the blockade was on November 24, 1992, when the 47th ordinary session of the Assembly passed its first resolution condemning the blockade 59-3, with 71 abstentions.
Last year, 187 countries voted for the anti-blockade resolution, the highest number ever, with just 3 against (United States, Israel and Palau) and 2 abstentions (Marshall Islands and Micronesia).
According to Cuban authorities, the blockade has cost the island $751.363 billion dollars, a conservative estimate based on the depreciation of the dollar against gold.(Prensa Latina)
