Cuba Denounces U.S. Embargo at UN, Calling It a "Ruthless Crime"

▲ Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez

Cuba strongly condemned the United States' economic and trade embargo against the country as a "ruthless crime" at the United Nations General Assembly on July 7 (local time).

According to AFP, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez attended the UN General Assembly debate held at the UN headquarters in New York that day, asserting, "The U.S. government has been waging a multidimensional and unconventional war against Cuba for nearly 70 years, which has become even more brutal and harsh, especially over the past seven months."

Minister Rodriguez stated that the U.S. sanctions amount to "collective punishment" against the Cuban people, adding, "It is also the responsibility of the UN to pay attention to this ruthless crime."

He announced that the economic damage suffered by Cuba due to the U.S. embargo from March of last year to February of this year reached a record high of 8 billion dollars (approximately 12.2 trillion won).

He also added that this figure does not include the impact caused by the U.S. fuel embargo in February.

Regarding recent diplomatic negotiations with the U.S., Minister Rodriguez claimed there has been "no progress," asserting that there will be no progress in the future "as long as (the U.S.) treats (Cuba) like a defeated enemy or a colony."

In response, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz retorted, "There is no U.S. embargo," adding, "The only embargo that exists in Cuba is the guillotine that the current regime is holding over the heads of its own people."

Since 1992, the UN General Assembly has annually adopted resolutions calling for the lifting of the U.S. embargo on Cuba with overwhelming support.

In the vote held that day on whether to conduct a debate for the adoption of the resolution, there were 136 votes in favor, 9 against, and 40 abstentions.

While most African and Caribbean nations showed strong support for Cuba, Germany and Canada, which had supported the resolution every year, cast abstention votes, marking a change from previous years.

Currently, Cuba is experiencing severe livelihood difficulties, including prolonged large-scale power outages as fuel shortages worsen due to the U.S. embargo.

(Photo: Getty Images)

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