UN Rejects Cuba Embargo 188-2
HAVANA TIMES (dpa) – The UN General Assembly today condemned for the twenty-third straight time the US trade and economic embargo imposed on Cuba for over half a century, reported dpa news.
A total of 188 of 193 countries voted against the restrictions the US government imposed on Havana back in 1962, after the triumph of Fidel Castro’s revolution a few years earlier. The goal of the embargo is to create sufficient hardship on the island to provoke a regime change.
Three nations (Micronesia, Palau and the Marshall Islands) abstained, while only the US and Israel voted against the non-binding resolution.
In asking for the support of the global body to condemn the embargo, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said, “We invite the government of the United States to join us in a mutually respectful relationship, on a reciprocal basis.”
In the debates leading up to the vote on Tuesday, several delegations praised Cuban international cooperation, citing the example of their contribution to the fight against Ebola in West Africa. Havana has sent more than 250 physicians and other health workers in recent weeks to the affected countries.
In his address to the UN General Assembly, US Ambassador Ronald Godard, said that such support is no excuse for “the way the Cuban regime treats its own people.”In recent weeks it has become more apparent that opposition to the embargo is growing within the United States. The influential newspaper “The New York Times” ran a series of editorials saying the time had come to end the embargo.
It is America’s prerogative to do business with whom WE choose. The US embargo does not force Cuba to be or do anything…obviously. It does, however, stipulate that as long as the Castros are in charge, the US is closed for business. That IS our right and privilege. My Cuban family sleeps just fine. No thanks to the Castros.
Listen genius, it’s not America’s right or privilege to act as judge, jury, and hangman concerning the existence and longevity of Cuba’s present government, no matter what you might think of the Castros. The world has made that crystal clear for 23 years. Now that is my reality, as well as yours. There is no refuting that. However I have no doubt that there will continue to be more of the same arrogant BS coming from you and your government in defiance of world opinion. I hope your familia cubano sleep well for another year while waiting for your nation to wake up.
In other words, you don’t know what it means either or you don’t want to admit to yourself that it really was a symbolic gesture without any connection to ‘real’ international politics. When Russia chose to ignore international norms with their meddling in the Ukraine, their European neighbors and the US passed sanctions which immediately began to have an effect on the Russian economy. If the “united nations of the world” really feel as you do, why are there NO sanctions? You are in no position to make to make any moral judgments about anyone simply because they do not share your political views. Cubans, like my Cuban family, know that their “pain and suffering’ is as much if not more a result of their internal embargo as it is caused by US actions. Toilet paper shortages in one part of Havana while warehouses full of toilet paper rot in other parts of Havana are not caused by the US embargo. Cuba’s biggest problems have been caused by the Castros. Plain and simple.
Thanks Rene. I am “pig-headed” as you say because I don’t believe that prosperity, and that is exactly what US relations brings to the Castro regime, will bring democracy to Cuba. Stop and consider first who will prosper: the Castro oligarchy. Trickle down economics doesn’t work well in an open economy like the US. It won’t work at all in Cuba. CEOs in the US have increased their salaries 3-fold in the last 20 years, while the average worker actually makes less when you account for inflation. In a dictatorship like the Castros, how do you suppose this prosperity will benefit the average Cuban? Finally Rene, given the age of the Castros, the failing Cuban economy and the current demographic profile in Cuba, especially with record outmigration, now is not the time to throw the Castros a lifeline. They practically have one foot in the grave. If the US simply maintains the status quo for four more years, change in Cuba is certain. We have waited 55 years, four more is a cakewalk.
Moses, it’s useless to suggest to you personally that your government should heed world opinion. Your mind is closed, and as you admit yourself, you don’t care. I know what the vote means to me, but people like you have no moral compass. How quaint that you can feel contentment in your life while you support your government’s tyrannical policies meant to inflict pain and suffering on a defenseless people…all out of spiteful ignorance and arrogant indifference to Cuba as well as to the united nations of the world.
Moses, I don’t like the Castros any more than you do. The sooner they’re gone the better. But I have to agree with others here that the embargo does not serve anyone. If you get rid of it and everyone can do business with Cuba (including American companies), then the Castros can’t blame the US for all their problems. Then once people see that there are still shortages and massive corruption, it would be much more likely they would push for massive reform or simply revolt. It really is that simple and I don’t get why US foreign policy apologists like yourself are so pig-headed.
Oh yes! America has a monopoly on good schools…how could I possibly make that mistake? It must be due to our backward universities here in Canada. Moses, you’re a hoot. Thanks for the chuckle. By the way, check your syntax and grammar. You wouldn’t want the dean at your “better school” to see that.
Terry, please tell me what the ‘vote’ means. By that, I am asking what are the consequences? Please help me to see how this will impact my 401K retirement plan, the power of my passport abroad, the price of milk for my children, cost of gasoline for my car, or any other REAL aspect of American life. If the best you can come up with is that anti-US folks like you will have to change your script from 22 years of no votes to 23 years of no votes, save your voice. In that case, you are right…..I don’t care
There will be some who will get excited and continue to jump up and down because the US has not formally ended the trade embargo. They do so because they got excited last year and the years before that.
The will be others who realize that the trade embargo has been made essentially meaningless because of large exceptions and non enforcement.
Americans are now essentially able to travel to Cuba as evidenced by the 635,000 who traveled legally last year combined with non enforcement for those who travel illegally.
Americans now have essentially unlimited ability to send funds to Cuba as evidenced by the bulk of the $2.6 Billion in cash remittances and $3.5 Billion in cash remittances.
Americans sell so much food to Cuba that it has become the US #7 export market.
There is a large 7 story building in Vedado staffed with US diplomatic corps and support staff in spite of there being no official diplomatic relationship. Cuba has a similar facility in Washington DC.
Cuba still has nothing of significance to export to the US.
Legal investment in Cuba is still not permitted by the Cuban government.
So while some continue to be excited about the formal existence of the embargo, I continue to find that is has no significant real impact in 2014.
And there lies the rub. The UN vote is only ‘meaningless’ to SOME heartless Americans who are without conscience, as well as their Israeli puppets who allow their vote to be extorted to maintain their US mob protection. The UN vote is not meaningless…it’s very real. To ignore it again is only reaffirmation of America’s arrogant rogue status in the eyes of the world.
If you were American you would likely have gone to better schools and been a lot smarter. You certainly wouldn’t say things Cuba could look like anybody’s choir group, no matter to whom you compare them.
Justin Bieber is in the news on a regularly basis. That is no measure of importance. If Cuba had oil? I thought they did. Oh wait, just another Castro pipe dream. I was waiting to see how my life would change after the UN vote. Still waiting….
ITS TIME TO END ALL THE DRAMA CAUSED BY THE U S A
Going in circles are we..My comment was in regards to your “Its believable”.. I agree that there is bigger problems in the world, and as long as there is something the US needs or want, they be there in a heart beat to help … Other then that, they will watch… Like Terry said above, if Cuba had Oil? Oh my how things would change fast, anyone think different is as arrogant as you will sound…. And the UN votes every year is it, or even twice a year? And I regularly see Cuba/USA Relations in US based news, so I would say that the embargo or Cuba/USA relations is very much in the “Kitchen”……
Exactly, Cubalibre. The US is so full of it that their eyes are brown. America has no problem embracing other nations around the world who are renowned for their continuing human rights violations…many of whom make Cuba’s government look like a choir group. With Cuba, it’s all about ego…all about arrogance…and all about spiteful revenge. If Cuba had oil for export, all would be forgiven in a heart beat. America continually sells out their ideals to the highest bidder…it has nothing to do with standing up for the Cuban people. Some wonder why I personally (along side millions of others) no longer respect the US…it doesn’t take a rocket scientist. A rapidly growing number of American citizens are also now more than embarrassed, if not appalled, by the hypocracy of their own government on the world stage. If I was an American, I’d be absolutely ashamed.
This comes as no surprise taking into account the infantile mentality of the pseudo power house aka the US of A.
Obviously the White House doesn’t receive a delivery of the New York Times.
Perhaps the Washington Post should send an audio version of what the shifting opinion is.
Get real Obama et al and attempt to move into the 21st Century. You really are becoming a laughing stock, GLOBALLY!
I am not sure what that graphic means but I can assure you that the UN vote was meaningless and will have no effect on US policy. There are far greater problems in the world that must be resolved. What happens with Cuba is not only not on the back burner, it is not even in the kitchen.
The USA would never deal with any country that have human rights issue’s. They would never do that.. 🙂 ..Makes me laugh they still think its justified… Its just one political game for all of them… Big old ego of the mighty Americans, get your head out of our a** Moses…
On the contrary, it is quite believable.
Two against the world. Unbelievable.