Cuba has accused the United States of using coercive diplomacy to sway international opinion ahead of a crucial United Nations General Assembly vote on a resolution demanding the end of the US trade embargo. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez alleged that the US has applied political pressure and economic threats to influence countries’ stances on the resolution, which will be voted on October 28.
The draft resolution, formally titled “Necessity of Ending the Economic, Commercial and Financial Embargo Imposed by the United States of America Against Cuba,” highlights the impacts of the embargo, including recent fuel and energy restrictions from January 2026 that have exacerbated Cuba’s economic challenges. Rodríguez estimates that the embargo has cost Cuba over $178.7 billion in economic losses over the past six decades.
According to Rodríguez, the US has threatened sanctions, punitive tariffs, visa restrictions, and the suspension of cooperation programs to persuade countries to oppose the resolution. He emphasized that the upcoming vote is a matter of national sovereignty, asserting that countries should have the right to determine their own foreign policies without external interference.
In January, former US President Donald Trump signed an executive order introducing measures targeting countries and entities supplying fuel to Cuba, which the Cuban government has criticized as an effort to further pressure its economy. Last year, a similar resolution presented by Cuba garnered significant support, with 165 votes in favor, seven against, and 12 abstentions at the UN General Assembly.