Brief
UN to vote on condemning US embargo on Cuba amid heightened tensions
The resolution, backed by most member states in past votes, faces possible push‑back after recent US threats of military action.
By Felo News Desk · Published
The United Nations General Assembly is set to vote on Wednesday on a resolution condemning the United States' decades‑long economic embargo against Cuba, according to the Associated Press.
What happened
The annual resolution, introduced each year for the past 34 years, calls on the UN to denounce the US "maximum pressure" policy toward Havana. In the previous session, the motion passed 165‑7 with 12 abstentions. This year’s vote is expected to follow a similar pattern, though the Trump administration has stepped up a campaign to sway member states, including public statements threatening military intervention.
What the reports add
The AP article notes that President Donald Trump recently suggested US warships could stop in Cuban waters on their way back from the Iran war, raising the specter of direct military involvement. It also highlights that Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez held a news conference in Havana on Oct. 21, 2026, to protest the embargo and the US’s heightened rhetoric.
What was said
At a UN forum on Tuesday, US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez exchanged heated remarks, with Waltz defending Washington’s stance and Rodríguez accusing the US of undermining Cuba’s socialist government. The article quotes no direct statements but describes the exchange as a "shouting match".
How it came about
The vote follows a long‑standing UN practice of condemning the embargo, a policy first imposed in 1960 after the Cuban Revolution and partially eased in 2015. Recent US actions, including cutting off Venezuelan oil shipments in January 2026 and threatening tariffs on nations supplying oil to Cuba, have intensified the diplomatic clash. Earlier this month, Felo News reported on a "Cuba Libre" panel hosted by Ambassador Waltz, which sought to persuade countries to oppose the resolution, and on Cuban ambassadorial appeals to Canada to maintain its opposition to the embargo.
Key facts
- The UN General Assembly will vote on a resolution condemning the US embargo on Cuba on Wednesday. (winnipegfreepress.com)
- Last year's vote was 165‑7 in favour with 12 abstentions. (winnipegfreepress.com)
- President Donald Trump recently suggested US warships could stop in Cuban waters after the Iran war. (winnipegfreepress.com)
- Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez held a news conference in Havana on Oct. 21, 2026, to protest the embargo. (winnipegfreepress.com)
Sources
- [1] winnipegfreepress.com — originally reported as “UN holds annual vote on condemning US embargo on Cuba as tensions spill into public”
