President Donald Trump’s administration is mobilizing U. S. diplomats to lobby against a U. N. resolution urging the U. S. to lift its long-standing embargo on Cuba. The diplomats will inform other countries that Cuba supports Russia’s war in Ukraine, claiming that up to 5,000 Cubans are fighting alongside Russian forces. An internal State Department cable, dated October 2, instructed U. S. missions to encourage opposition to this non-binding resolution, which has historically passed through the U. N. General Assembly by large margins since 1992.
Last year, 187 countries supported the resolution, with only the U. S. and Israel voting against it. Since Trump took office again in January, he has reinforced sanctions, including adding Cuba back to the list of state sponsors of terrorism, tightening financial restrictions, and sanctioning those who host Cuban doctors. He has also taken a tough stance against Russia, including threats of financial penalties against Russian oil buyers.
The cable criticized the U. N. resolution for inaccurately placing the blame for Cuba’s problems on the U. S., arguing that they stem from Cuba’s own corruption and incompetence. The administration aims to reduce the number of supportive votes by promoting “no” votes, but also sees value in abstentions.
The U. S. has imposed many sanctions on Cuba since the embargo was established following Fidel Castro’s revolution in 1959. While U. N. votes hold political significance, only Congress can lift the embargo. The Cuban government attributes its severe economic crisis to U. S. sanctions, which have led to shortages, failing infrastructure, and high inflation. The State Department contends that Cuba misuses the annual U. N. resolution to portray itself as a victim and argues it should not receive support from democratic allies.
U. S. lobbying efforts regarding the resolution have typically focused on the legality of the embargo and human rights in Cuba, but these strategies have not succeeded in changing votes significantly. The cable contained various points, some claiming Cuba is undermining democracies in the region and has failed to protect its citizens, who are allegedly being recruited to fight in Ukraine. Cuban officials have recently accused the U. S. of using drug trafficking as a pretext for military actions in the Caribbean.
With information from Reuters
