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October 26, 2011

U.N Votes Overwhelmingly to Condemn U.S. Embargo Against Cuba for 20th Consecutive Year 
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The United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to
condemn the U.S. embargo against Cuba for the 20th year in a row. The
final vote was 186-to-2. The United States and Israel were the only
nations to vote against the resolution. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno
Rodriguez said that the sanctions have caused direct economic damages of
close to $1 trillion to the Cuban people over nearly half a century.

Bruno Rodriguez, Cuban Foreign Minister: "The only thing that has
changed over the last 50 years, Mr. President, has been the blockade and
the hostile, aggressive policy of the United States, in spite of fact
that this policy has not worked or will it ever. However, what the U.S.
government wants to see changed will not change. The Cuban government
will continue to be the government of the people, by the people and for
the people."

American Ambassador Ronald Godard criticized the United Nations vote on
the U.S. embargo of Cuba.

Ronald Godard, U.S. Senior Advisor, Western and Eastern Affairs: "For
yet another year, this assembly has taken up a resolution designed to
confuse and obscure. But let there be no confusion about this, the
United States, like most member states reaffirms its strong commitment
to supporting the right and the heartfelt desire of the Cuban people to
freely determine their future. And let there be no obscuring that the
Cuban regime has deprived them of this right for more than half a
century.”



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