The U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday overwhelmingly condemned the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba, an annual ritual that highlights global opposition to the policy.
This year’s vote was 187-3 in opposition to the embargo, up from 185-3 last year, with only Israel and the tiny Pacific island nation of Palau supporting the United States. It was the 19th year in a row that the General Assembly has taken up the symbolic measure, with Washington steadily losing what little support it once had.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez ticked off a long list of grievances in his speech before the world body, saying the 47-year-old embargo — which the Cubans refer to as a blockade — had cost the island’s fragile economy tens of billions of dollars over the years and prevented Cuban children from getting needed medical care.
“The blockade is an uncultured act of arrogance,” Rodriguez said. He likened the policy to “an act of genocide” that is “ethically unacceptable.”
It was the first time the world body has taken the vote since President Barack Obama took office in January, promising to extend a hand of friendship to Washington’s traditional enemies.
Not big on the hyperbole, but I’m totally down with the sentiment.
This stupid embargo has accomplished nothing and needs to end.