Overwhelming UN vote says US blockade of Cuba needs to end

The UN General Assembly has voted 191-2 to condemn the US blockade of Cuba, with only the US and Israel opposed.

Of the 193 member states at the General Assembly, 191 voted in support of the resolution, titled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba.”

The draft resolution urges all member states to “refrain from promulgating and applying laws and measures” that furthering the blockade, and those that have such laws to “repeal or invalidate them as soon as possible.” It specifically cites the 1996 Helms-Burton Act as one such law, which affects the sovereignty of other states and legitimate interests of their citizens, as well as the freedom of trade and navigation. Helms-Burton penalizes foreign companies for doing business with Cuba.

source

President Obama announced in December 2014 that he would be changing the US policy on Cuba, arguing that the blockade had not produced the desired effect. In May 2015, the US removed Cuba from the list of countries accused of sponsoring terrorism. The Cuban embassy in Washington reopened in July, and the US embassy in Havana followed suit in August.

Always Israel and US, why is it? Always blocking other nations freedom! why? This is starting to be ridiculous!

a reply to: voyger2

Obama and Netanyahu must have been in the broom closet mid-orgy during the vote.

a reply to: voyger2

I sense a disturbance in the force...

Do you sense this as well?

Peace

Someone should tell America that the USSR does not exist any more . That is why they were embargoed is it not ? relations with the USSR .???

More to the point, why the right to blackball? If the US and Israel have a problem, let them open their gubs and say why!

I can guess though, One powerful great big country that other countries must follow, riding roughshod over a tiny dot for years, and years after any sabre waving, that has no comparison to all the countries that were foes in WW2 who are now blood brothers. Makes you think...dunnit?

a reply to: InnerPeace2012

I dont know, really.

This was a surprise (bad) for me, cause I thought US had already lift all the sactions/blockade to Cuba. But in the end, looking to all that is happening in the middle east (specially) in the last years, we start to see a pattern of lies and hypocritical actions. So, this is not going to be a surprise anymore!

Something gotta to change. People around the world will eventually start to understand (clearly) from where "wars" and instability is coming after all.

Justice is not about words, it's about actions. And this one, as many taken by the US and Israel, is one more stain in their credibility.

Who cares what the U.N. thinks? We are a sovereign nation.

The US government only agrees with the UN when it is convenient for them and suites their needs, and will disregard anything to the contrary. ..shown time and time again

originally posted by: Metallicus
Who cares [..] We are a sovereign nation.

Say that to all those nations US bombed in the last years...

a reply to: voyger2

It just seems all the news as of late, are indicating a major change in Geo-political arena, the numbers speak for themselves in this case. Just the US and Israel, for and an absolute majority voted against, speaks volumes to me.

I agree with the other posts above, the USSR doesn't exist anymore, why even prolong the blockade with Cuba. More signs of a "disturbance in the force" as best as I can put.

Peace

This is going to make Cuba into a Marxist utopia and the envy of the modern......
Sorry, couldn't type that with a straight face.
At least I can get some good cigars.

I was under the impression that the U.S. had already ended it's blockade. Also does the U.N. really have any power? They seem to condemned a lot of things that nothing ever gets done about.

originally posted by: the2ofusr1
Someone should tell America that the USSR does not exist any more . That is why they were embargoed is it not ? relations with the USSR .???

That was part of it, but it was also about denying goods to the country in order to motivate the people to throw the Castro regime out of power.

Reopening the embassy more or less signaled the end of the embargo as it signaled a change in diplomatic policy. These things move slowly though. I imagine it will be gone before the end of the next presidential term.

originally posted by: Metallicus
Who cares what the U.N. thinks? We are a sovereign nation.

Who cares what the rest of the world thinks or wants? We do what we want, when we want, regardless of if the rest of the world unanimously agreed that it's the wrong thing to be doing! That's brilliant...bravo....go Murica' and stuff..

originally posted by: the2ofusr1
Someone should tell America that the USSR does not exist any more . That is why they were embargoed is it not ? relations with the USSR .???

The revolution overthrew the American-supported authoritarian Batista regime. The US opposed the revolution (obviously) so the USSR supported Cuba. This was the cold-war, so the US embargoed Cuba in an effort to turn the people against Castro. This effort failed.

originally posted by: KingKelson
I was under the impression that the U.S. had already ended it's blockade. Also does the U.N. really have any power? They seem to condemned a lot of things that nothing ever gets done about.

Want tyo hear something funny? According to th e rules in the UN charter..if th e countries do not want to follow a resolution from the UN they can just ignore it. It sin their BY laws.

a reply to: yuppa

Please provide support for that statment.

originally posted by: the2ofusr1
Someone should tell America that the USSR does not exist any more . That is why they were embargoed is it not ? relations with the USSR .???

Nah, it's a bit more complex than that. Cuba used to be a plaything for the wealthy. Its plantations produced crops for our industries & its nightlife was like Las Vegas. The revolution overturned all of that. That in itself wasn't so bad because the US gave support to both sides during the turmoil.

But when Fidel chose the USSR as allies instead of the US, the US was understandably angry. Then the Communists nationalized those properties, businesses, & industries, and I believe they refused to compensate the foreign owners. This angered the US much much more. (note: I'm almost positive they wouldn't compensate them but I don't want to fact check lol).

Anyway, then Cuba starting sending troops & medical aid to help other oppressed people's independence movements during the Cold War. The Angolan Civil War is a perfect example. Cuba was helping support the Angolan government that claimed power when Portugal finally left (Angola was Portugal's colony for centuries). The CIA, on the other hand, was backing the 2 main rebel factions that were trying to take over Angola. So the Cuban troops were fighting against the CIA's proxy factions there. And remember, this is after the Cuban Missile Crisis, numerous CIA attempts on Castro's life, & the "Bay of Pigs" debacle.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing but love for Cuba. I respect anyone who helped the African, Hispanic, and Asian people gain their freedom from the European colonists. That's the side of the Cold War that usually gets ignored. However, I can also understand why the US powerbrokers haven't let their grudge with Cuba go. The Castros have been thorns in their sides for longer than I've been alive & they've survived who knows how many assassination attempts & attempted coups.

EDIT: Crap! links234 beat me to it. Though I gave more details so ha!

originally posted by: enlightenedservant

originally posted by: the2ofusr1
Someone should tell America that the USSR does not exist any more . That is why they were embargoed is it not ? relations with the USSR .???

Nah, it's a bit more complex than that. Cuba used to be a plaything for the wealthy. Its plantations produced crops for our industries & its nightlife was like Las Vegas. The revolution overturned all of that. That in itself wasn't so bad because the US gave support to both sides during the turmoil.

But when Fidel chose the USSR as allies instead of the US, the US was understandably angry. Then the Communists nationalized those properties, businesses, & industries, and I believe they refused to compensate the foreign owners. This angered the US much much more. (note: I'm almost positive they wouldn't compensate them but I don't want to fact check lol).

Anyway, then Cuba starting sending troops & medical aid to help other oppressed people's independence movements during the Cold War. The Angolan Civil War is a perfect example. Cuba was helping support the Angolan government that claimed power when Portugal finally left (Angola was Portugal's colony for centuries). The CIA, on the other hand, was backing the 2 main rebel factions that were trying to take over Angola. So the Cuban troops were fighting against the CIA's proxy factions there. And remember, this is after the Cuban Missile Crisis, numerous CIA attempts on Castro's life, & the "Bay of Pigs" debacle.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing but love for Cuba. I respect anyone who helped the African, Hispanic, and Asian people gain their freedom from the European colonists. That's the side of the Cold War that usually gets ignored. However, I can also understand why the US powerbrokers haven't let their grudge with Cuba go. The Castros have been thorns in their sides for longer than I've been alive & they've survived who knows how many assassination attempts & attempted coups.

EDIT: Crap! links234 beat me to it. Though I gave more details so ha!

The main reason the USA broke off relations with Cuba was Castro in his revolution he apropriated all US companies. They took billions of dollars in investments and didn't reimburse US companies. However not Cuba didn't do this with all countries. At the time US investment in Cuba was heavy I read one article that put the figure at 7 billion in stolen assets. This was the reason us investment was stopped and still is today. Cuba now has access to us banks but they are not allowed to loan money for investment. Until the 7 billion is reimbursed I doubt US companies will be allowed to invest in Cuba.

And even if Congress allows it I doubt many US companies would take the risk at least not without considerable Capitol being held somewhere other than Cuba. As for the vote simple the US does not recognize the general assemblies right to determine trade restrictions for the USA. This is what's called a recommendation vote and has no enforcement power. But it is not the UN general assemblies job to decide if a country should or should not have trade restrictions.

The only UN body with this power would be the international court. And even under UN charter they can't override the US Congress on trade matters what they can do is negotiate between the two. And make a recommendation to the security council. This is a case of the general assembly trying to claim a power they don't have under UN charter.