The United Nations General Assembly approved for the thirty-fourth time a resolution that demands the end of the economic, commercial and financial blockade of the United States against Cuba, with 130 votes in favor, 17 against and 25 abstentions. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel thanked the nations that supported the initiative and denounced pressure from Washington to modify the result.
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“On behalf of the people of Cuba, we appreciate the solidarity of the 130 nations that voted against the genocidal blockade and the collective punishment to which the U.S. government subjects us,” Díaz-Canel expressed through the X social network.
The president described the vote as an act of courage and sovereignty, despite U.S. diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing support for the resolution presented by Havana.
The previous day became a diplomatic battle between Cuba, which defends multilateralism and international law, and a MAGA version of the United States that repeatedly violates the United Nations Charter and views the world as its backyard.
El mundo ha vuelto a pronunciarse mayoritariamente contra el #bloqueo, incluso por encima de las más groseras presiones y chantajes de EE.UU para cambiar el rumbo de esta votación.
— Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez (@DiazCanelB) October 28, 2026
1/3 pic.twitter.com/lOyUZqVS8s
The text reads, “The world has once again spoken out overwhelmingly against the blockade, even above the most brazen pressures and blackmail from the U.S. to change the course of this vote.”
The Cuban Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodríguez, warned about an unusual deployment by the United States to reduce support for the document. During the debate, the U.S. representative to the UN, Mike Waltz, maintained that the blockade does not exist and attempted to blame the Cuban leadership for the economic crisis suffered by the country, claims that the Cuban delegation strongly rejected.
Diplomats from various nations defended the cessation of unilateral coercive measures and pointed out their effects on the development of the Cuban nation. The day took place in the midst of bilateral tensions and a debate on compliance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations.
The vote took place in a context of tightening U.S. restrictions. Between March 2025 and February 2026, damages attributed to the blockade amounted to $8,083.3 million, 7% more than in the previous period. The accumulated damages over six decades reach more than 178.7 billion dollars in current prices.
La política absurda del gobierno EEUU contra Cuba bloquea todo aquello que sostiene la vida. Hasta sus propios ciudadanos sufren las consecuencias.
— Bruno Rodríguez P (@BrunoRguezP) October 29, 2026
¿Por qué el bloqueo contra Cuba impide que 7 millones de estadounidenses reciban los beneficios del medicamento cubano NeuralCIM… pic.twitter.com/OrGyTzMEVK
The text reads, “The absurd U.S. government policy against Cuba blocks everything that sustains life. Even its own citizens suffer the consequences. Why does the blockade against Cuba prevent 7 million Americans from receiving the benefits of the unique Cuban drug NeuralCIM, which can combat Alzheimer’s, senile dementia, neurodegenerative diseases, with a treatment of proven effectiveness, incomparably superior to its counterpart”
The resolution seeks the lifting of unilateral restrictions that, according to Havana, affect sectors such as electricity generation, transportation, food production, health and education. The text also mentions that the fuel shortage has affected blackouts and the operation of essential services.
Cuba has presented this initiative before the General Assembly every year since 1992. On the 34 occasions in which it has been put to a vote, the resolution has received a large majority of support, although the level of support has varied depending on the international political context.
The approval reiterates the international demand for the end of the U.S. blockade against Cuba, while the government in Havana has demonstrated with verifiable data that the US measures constitute collective punishment with economic and social consequences for the Cuban population.
On Wednesday, President Miguel Díaz-Canel praised the actions of the Cuban delegation at the United Nations during the annual debate on the resolution calling for an end to the economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba. The president affirmed that the island will not back down in the face of Yankee pressure and dictates.
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In messages posted on the social media platform X, the Cuban leader acknowledged the work of Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez, Ambassador Ernesto Soberón, and the rest of the Cuban delegation, following an incident that took place during a session of the UN General Assembly.
“Today at the UN, the international community’s overwhelming support for Cuba was on display, as they condemned the blockade and the U.S. government’s policy of maximum suffocation. Most of the speakers were clear in their denunciation,” the Cuban president wrote.
These remarks followed an intervention by Bruno Rodríguez, who interrupted U.S. representative Mike Waltz as he was blatantly presenting a series of slanders, distortions, and lies against Cuba.
“You are lying,” Rodríguez stated, while requesting that the president of the General Assembly call the U.S. representative to order.
The Cuban Foreign Minister also denounced pressure exerted by Washington on UN member states and rejected what he described as insults to the dignity of the Cuban people and the international organization itself.
El pretexto más empleado y manipulado por el gobierno de Estados Unidos para tratar de justificar su actuación es presentar a Cuba como una supuesta amenaza para la superpotencia nuclear o, incluso, para el hemisferio. Se sabe que ningún gobierno aquí representado admite o acepta… pic.twitter.com/9ADzwpPsXS
— Bruno Rodríguez P (@BrunoRguezP) October 28, 2026
The text reads, “The most commonly used and manipulated pretext by the United States government to try to justify its actions is to present Cuba as an alleged threat to the nuclear superpower or even to the hemisphere. It is known that no government represented here admits or accepts such a crude fallacy. They lack arguments.”
Díaz-Canel maintained that this international body serves as a space for sovereign equality among states, and he asserted that Cuba will defend the rights granted to it by the United Nations Charter and its regulations, as well as the dignity of its people and its heroes. “Cuba will not back down, and certainly not in the face of Yankee pressures and orders,” emphasized the head of state, who described the U.S. stance as one of imperial arrogance and overbearing conduct.
The Cuban delegation’s protest was voiced at the start of the debate on the resolution titled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba”—an initiative that has garnered broad support in the General Assembly for over three decades.
Cuba denounced a vile campaign of diplomatic pressure aimed at influencing the delegations present, with the goal of eroding support for the Cuban resolution. Nevertheless, the world once again spoke out—by an overwhelming majority—against the embargo, even in the face of pressure and blackmail from the United States intended to alter the outcome.
Díaz-Canel further noted that the U.S. representative—visibly isolated—offered no explanation for the energy blockade imposed on Cuba, nor for the intensified extraterritorial reach of the embargo.
In their remarks, Cuban authorities presented verifiable data demonstrating that the tightening of the embargo—particularly since 2025—has caused severe economic and social hardship on the island. This confirms that the U.S. policy amounts to collective punishment of the population; the authorities warned that the international community must not become complicit in such measures.
“Because we believe in the truth and in global solidarity, we know that the U.S. embargo against Cuba and the energy blockade will be condemned once again in the General Assembly,” Díaz-Canel stated on X.
On Oct. 27 and 28, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) holds, for the 34th time, a debate and vote on a resolution presented by Cuba titled “Necessity of Ending the Economic, Commercial and Financial Blockade Imposed by the United States of America Against Cuba.”
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On Tuesday, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez accused the U.S. government of lying “in a crude and permanent manner” to the countries represented at the UNGA.
“With its crude lies at the UNGA, the U.S. government has launched a new desperate attempt to justify its economic aggression against Cuba and its criminal energy blockade,” he said, lashing out at U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz and criticizing his “arrogance and haughtiness.”
“He forgets that he is at the United Nations. He is not at the U.S. National Security Council, in a Green Beret unit, or in a Signal group, where he has repeatedly demonstrated his incompetence and inability,” Rodriguez stated.
The Cuban diplomat said Waltz’s remarks before the General Assembly “are part of a media circus, threats and an election campaign” to which Washington “devotes substantial financial and human resources.”
“There is no justification for maintaining the act of collective punishment to which the Cuban people are subjected,” Rodriguez stressed.
#Cuba | Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez confronts U.S. representatives at the UN General Assembly, invoking Rule 71 to reject accusations against Cuba during discussions on Washington's economic blockade.#UNGA #BrunoRodriguez #USBlockade #teleSUREnglish pic.twitter.com/BK8ZNXgKWT
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) October 27, 2026
Waltz Seeks to Put a Positive Spin on the U.S. Blockade
During his address, Waltz called on countries to vote against the text presented by Cuba, arguing that doing otherwise would contribute “to the mistreatment of the Cuban people.”
He also accused Cuban authorities of using the annual UN resolutions against the blockade as though they were international endorsements of the revolutionary government.
On Wednesday, more than 30 countries are expected to deliver speeches before the vote on the 34th resolution concerning the blockade against Cuba.
Since 1992, Cuba has presented this nonbinding resolution annually. In 2025, it received 165 votes in favor, seven against and 12 abstentions.
teleSUR/ JF
Source: EFE
President Donald Trump has issued a new threat against Cuba as U.S. officials reportedly press ahead with military planning for the Caribbean country, an escalation that coincides with an intensified oil blockade and UN vote scheduled for October 28.
At a campaign rally in Fort Myers, the Republican President laid out his plan in vivid terms. “What we are going to do with Cuba is we are going to come back from Iran. Those beautiful ships, we will pass by Cuba, we will have one of them stop about 50 yards (45 meters) from the coast. They will raise their hands and then we will send Marco Rubio to close the deal,” he said.
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The U.S. President closed the scene with a concrete promise: “We will take care of Cuba on our return from Iran. We will make a small stop.”
Cuba answered on X. “We reject all threats related to the ambitions of United States toward Cuba,“ wrote the Caribbean nation’s FM Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla.
He added a description of the coastline that carried an unmistakable warning. “Our coastline is full of beautiful beaches, but there ara also razor-sharp limestone spikes,” he said, referring to the karst rock formations along the shore. “Inhospitable to those who arrive with hostile intentions and dreams of domination,” he warned. The jagged coastal limestone, sharp and cutting, gave the response its edge.
We reject every threat related to US ambitions toward Cuba.
— Bruno Rodríguez P (@BrunoRguezP) October 23, 2026
Our coastline is full of beautiful beaches, but there are also razor-sharp limestone spikes, an inhospitable environment for those who make it to our shores with hostile purposes and lust for domination.… pic.twitter.com/jrrBc1jR8S
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio used the same platform to urge those pushing for “change” on the island to engage in “discreet collaboration with the CIA.” In August, The New York Times reported that the intelligence agency had secretly set up a task force focused on Cuba.
The threat came amid a heated campaign in a state that is home to the largest Cuban community in United States. Its lawmakers and an influential segment of that community shape Washington’s decisions on Cuba.
Rodriguez Parrilla’s post also echoes another phrase from the current U.S. President. In March, speaking at the White House, Trump said he would have “the honor of taking Cuba” and that he “could do whatever he wanted with it.” He described Cuba then as a beautiful place, with “good land, landscapes, wonderful weather and great potential for tourism centers.”
On that occasion his unfamiliarity with the territory was on display. He argued that taking control would be good because the country is “not in the path of hurricanes.” “They won’t ask us for money for hurricanes every week,” he said in that time.
Passing by the island after Iran is not a new idea. In early May, while signing the Executive Order that launched an unprecedented wave of unilateral and illegal penalties against Cuba, Trump had already spoken of “taking control” once his military objectives in Iran were met. Following that, he has promised the war will end “immediately” after the November 3 elections, without explaining how.
The new threat coincides with the campaign Rubio himself is leading to sway the votes of UN member states on the resolution against the blockade against Cuba. In a recent press conference, Rodriguez Parrilla denounced the pressures and threats against governments to make them change their position.
In recent weeks the U.S. administration has seized fuel shipments bound for Cuba as part of an oil blockade. The campaign against Cuba’s international medical cooperation has intensified in parallel.
The escalation arrives at a difficult political moment for the U.S. President. Midterm elections take place on November 3, and the Republican Party could lose control of Congress. Trump’s approval has sagged, and a majority of voters now reject his management of the country’s main fronts, a rejection that cuts across every issue.
The domestic scenario is complicated further by the conflict with Iran. Tehran retains control of the Strait of Hormuz and has inflicted significant destruction on U.S. military bases in West Asia.
Fuel prices keep climbing in the meantime. The increase strikes U.S. households directly, and every rise deepens the damage to the President’s public standing at a moment when he can least afford it.
The pattern toward Cuba has hardened even as those pressures mount at home. The fuel seizures, the diplomatic campaign and the military planning all point in the same direction, toward an increasingly explicit posture of confrontation against the island.
With the United Nations vote set for October 28 and the U.S. midterm elections following days later on November 3, the coming weeks will reveal whether the planning described in U.S. media translates into further concrete action against Cuba, or whether it remains a lever of pressure in a campaign that already weighs heavily on the island.
On Wednesday, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez denounced the United States for exerting diplomatic pressure on numerous countries to change their stance ahead of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly vote on the economic blockade imposed on the island.
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United States Escalated Hostility Toward Cuba Throughout 2026
According to the Cuban minister, Washington’s actions are intensifying in the lead-up to the debate scheduled for October 27 and 28, when UN member states will again vote on the draft resolution calling for an end to these sanctions.
Rodriguez stated that the current discussion is taking place against a backdrop of a tightening blockade and noted that, for the first time, the General Assembly will also address the effects of the energy blockade imposed on Cuba.
The foreign minister maintained that the U.S. measures are affecting Cuban foreign trade and are part of a strategy designed to create economic and social hardship in order to generate instability in the country.
During a public appearance, the Cuban foreign minister asserted that he possesses documents evidencing efforts to influence foreign governments to change their vote on the resolution presented by Cuba.
As the cruelty of collective punishment continues, Cubans are standing together against the shortages caused by the U.S. blockade.
— Cuban Americans For Cuba (@Cubans4Cuba) October 21, 2026
Watch how hundreds of community groups are helping Cubans get the medicine they need 👇 pic.twitter.com/0NdgM0mM29
According to Rodriguez, these documents include messages that deem the blockade legitimate. The minister also denounced threats of sanctions against sovereign countries, including trade measures, restrictions against officials, and other forms of political and economic pressure.
He also rejected claims that, he said, attempt to link Cuba to the conflict in Ukraine, calling these accusations “false” and part of a “smear campaign” against the Caribbean nation.
Rodriguez asserted that these actions reflect the international isolation of U.S. policy toward Cuba and recalled that, according to calculations presented by Havana to the United Nations, the accumulated losses from more than six decades of the blockade exceed US$150 billion.
#FromTheSouth News Bits | In Cuba, over a million students return to school, marking an achievement for the nation's education system amid ongoing United States aggression. pic.twitter.com/oMCCt8jRPD
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) September 4, 2026
teleSUR: JP
Source: teleSUR
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