The UN has overwhelmingly rejected the United States embargo on Cuba.
The vote was 191-2 in favor of the resolution. Only the United States and Israel voted against it. Israel has historically stood with the United States in lone opposition.
The United States had attempted to have a weaker stance on the issue given the recent change in relations between the two countries. The United States’ United Nations delegation had considered a more neutral stance, if the resolution reflected the changed policies.
American government officials expressed anger at Cuba’s refusal to alter the resolution. They felt that the standard resolution did not accurately reflect the warming relationship.
Cuba had insisted on the similar resolution regarding the embargo.
U.S. delegate Ronald Godard told the U.N. that “we find it unfortunate that despite our bilateral progress, Cuba introduced a resolution nearly identical to those in years past.”
The resolution calls on UN members to refrain from interfering with internal affairs of other countries.
The US had instated the embargo in the early 1960’s. The UN had voted against the embargo since 1992.
“The lifting of the blockade will be the essential element to give some meaning to the progress achieved over the past few months in the relations between both countries and shall set the pace towards normalization,” Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said.