United Nations Generally Assembly Debates Vote
Against U.S. Blockade of Cuba
U.S. Isolated Thanks to Heroic Resistance of Cuban People and Worldwide Support
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This
year marks 60 years since the proclamation that formalized the criminal
economic blockade by the U.S. against Cuba. As well, it is the 30th
year of the vote at the United Nations' General Assembly on the
"Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial blockade
imposed by the United-States of America against Cuba." Every year since
1992, a resolution against the criminal blockade has won the support of
the vast majority of UN member states.
Since then, in their interventions at the UN General Assembly, many member states have pointed out that the vote on the resolution is a collective call from the international community to respect the guiding principles of the UN and of its Charter, that the blockade constitutes a form of economic terrorism which hinders the economic development not only of Cuba but of the entire region, and that the resolution calls for respect for the principles of non-interference and non-intervention in the internal affairs of other countries.
Judicial studies have also pointed out that since the second half of the 20th century, embargoes have frequently been launched at the initiative of the U.S. and the UN Security Council, in defiance of the most elementary rules of international law. They also point out the extraterritorial nature of U.S. national laws such as Helms-Burton which sanction foreign economic actors who do not bow down to the requirements of the U.S. Congress. This in itself is a violation of the principle of sovereignty as found in Section 2 of the UN Charter which states that the UN is founded on the principle of sovereign equality of all its members.
In spite of all of the above, still U.S. representatives feel they are empowered to stand at the UN General Assembly and reprimand the entire international community for their stand against the blockade against Cuba and in defence of UN founding principles. Last year, for example, U.S. spokesperson Rodney Hunter stated: "As with other member states, the U.S. determines its conduct of economic relationships with other countries in accordance with its national interests. Sanctions are a legitimate way to achieve foreign policy, national security and other national and international objectives and the United States is not alone in this view or in this practice."
The
U.S. does stand alone, isolated but immersed in its conviction that it
is the indispensable nation calling the shots, against the very
principles it claims to uphold. The U.S. persists in upholding its
doctrine of Manifest Destiny, which was another form of God-given
authority to conquer and plunder. The phrase was coined in 1845 to
propagate the idea that the United States is destined -- by God, its
advocates believed -- to expand its dominion and spread democracy and
capitalism across the entire North American continent and beyond.
Today, the isolation of the U.S. on the matter of the blockade is due first and foremost to the heroic resistance of the Cuban people and the support they have won over the years for their principled stand. It is also based on the living experience nations have had in dealing with U.S. interference, pillage, regime change and aggression. The vote against the blockade appears as a mark of U.S. isolation and of the opposition of nations and peoples to U.S. dictate, blackmail and brutality in the way it conducts foreign affairs. The world would definitely be better off without the blockade and without U.S. meddling, bullying and brinkmanship.
This article was published in
Volume 52 Number 40 - November 2, 2022
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmld2022/Articles/D520403.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca