Cuba Confident of New UN Rejection of US Blockade

The Cuban Permanent Mission at United Nations has expressed confidence today that the General Assembly will reject tomorrow the U.S.-imposed blockade to the island.

'Cuba and its people have once again relied on the support of the international community in its legitimate claim of ending the economic, commercial and financial blockade,' the Mission said in a press release released here.

The embassy recalled that the Assembly has overwhelmingly demanded in 24th occasions the lifting of the U.S. blockade as an act in tune with respect to international law and the principles and purposes of the UN Charter.

The main deliberative UN body has adopted a resolution since 1992 on the necessity of eliminating the unilateral and extraterritorial sanctions applied by 10 successive U.S. administrations. Last year, 191 of 193 countries voted for, only the United States and Israel were opposed.

The General Assembly will discuss tomorrow a new initiative, similar to that approved during all these years, but with the difference that this recognizes the steps taken by President Barack Obama to modify the blockade, which Cuba describes as insufficient, because the measure continues in force.

The island's Permanent Mission has denounced here the continuity of the extended siege for more than 50 years, despite the bilateral approach, which led to the resumption of diplomatic relations in 2015 and the signing in recent months of more than a dozen agreements in areas of mutual interest.

According to the Cuban representation, this is the most unjust, severe and prolonged system of unilateral sanctions ever applied to any country.

The economic, commercial and financial blockade has maintained a profound impact on the Cuban people, limiting its right to development, the Mission said.

It warned about the U.S. financial persecution to Cuba, translated in multi-million dollar fines to banks for operations with the Caribbean nation.

The intimidation generated by this action by the American government leads to foreign banks to avoid doing business with the island, while in the fear persists for the Americans, despite the authorization by the White House to use the U.S. dollar in Cuban transactions, the Mission said.