Cuban Vote at UN: "Here We Go Again"

UNITED NATIONS - For the 18th consecutive year, the UN General Assembly condemned the US economic embargo against Cuba. The 187 countries voting in favor were friends and foes, democracies and dictatorships.

But this was the first vote since President Obama took office, and everyone listened for hints of change. While the administration has taken steps to improve relations with Cuba, it renewed the embargo just last month.

The speech by Susan Rice, the American ambassador to the United Nations, was more conciliatory than in previous years. But there was no hint the embargo would be lifted unless Cuba allowed "political and economic freedoms."

When the embargo first came to the floor of the General Assembly, many European nations abstained. But then came the Helms-Burton Act of 1996, which imposed fines and other sanctions on foreign firms dealing with Cuba. In the ensuing years, the UN vote turned heavily against Washington, not only in Europe but in all of Latin America.

This year it was 187 to 3 votes with two abstentions. The United States, Israel and the Pacific island of Palau voted "no" while the Marshall Islands and Micronesia (also Pacific isles) abstained. The resolution is not binding but expresses the will of the international community. Cuba has been under a US trade and travel embargo since 1962, three years after Fidel Castro took power.

New York Philharmonic banned?

Cuba's foreign minister, Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla said the embargo had prevented his country from obtaining needed drugs for adults and children, including those combating HIV/AIDS as well as equipment to detect cancer. The US government, he said, recently stopped the New York Philharmonic Orchestra from performing in Cuba. "The blockade is an uncultured act of arrogance," Rodriguez said. "How can artistic creation be considered a crime?"

"President Obama has a historical opportunity to lead a change of policy towards Cuba," the minister said, and at minimum could grant waivers to ease the embargo. While Cuba purchases agricultural products from the United States, he said it has to pay cash in advance and could not transport the cargo in its own vessels.

In response, Ambassador Rice said, "Here we go again. I suppose old habits die hard."

"The hostile language we have just heard from the Foreign Minister of Cuba seems straight out of the Cold War era and is not conducive to constructive progress. We will not respond in kind to painfully familiar rhetoric that we have heard in years past -- rather, I am prepared to acknowledge that there is a new chapter to this old story," Rice said.

She noted that the Obama administration had promoted family visits and remittances and had expanded the amounts of humanitarian items Americans could donate. It also resumed talks on migration, moved to establish direct mail service and enhanced the ability of US telecommunications and agricultural firms to pursue agreements.

"These are important steps and can be the starting point for further changes in the relationship," Rice said.

The isolation of the United States on Cuba follows a series of US initiatives in the United Nations, with engagement on disarmament issues, such as a proposed arms trade treaty, and human rights bodies. Gone is the embarrassing US stand on women's issues whenever family planning in poor nations arises.

But on Cuba, the lobby remains strong, even though polls show a split in the Cuban-American community.

Elena Freyre, executive director of the moderate Cuban American Defense League in Miami, told CNN after the vote:

"The definition of insanity is to do something over and over again and expect a different result. We are not going to get a different result. It's not working."

 

Comments

[tkondaks]

I, too, would like to see the embargo lifted. There is no faster way to dismantle the slave-state that is Cuba than to have greater influence from the United States, through trade, commerce, communication, and tourism.

Of course, the embargo has been the #1 reason for the continued presence of the Casto brothers at the helm of that totalitarian state. And, of course, if the embargo were ever lifted, Fidel would find some other excuse for preventing greater contact with Americans as it will be the downfall of his communist regime. Without America to blame, his house of cards would fall instantly.

Note that there are only two countries out of about 200 countries in the world that support the embargo: the United States and Israel. The embargo doesn't prevent Cuba from trading with practically every country in the world so absense of trade with the U.S. is NOT the reason the Cuban economy doesn't work (although that's the excuse Castro uses for ANY failings of the Cuban economy). The reason is, of course, communism and centralized planning.

[pghnappyrhino]

why would dr. rice expect the rhetoric out of cuba to change, when the conditions and the blockade hasn't changed?

i'd also like her to explain how we can deal with china - and HOW much of our debt do they own - but not cuba?

[RichardWalden]

As the head of a US Government-licensed private relief group allowing us to provide humanitarian aid to Cuba's major pediatric hospitals and to last year's hurricane victims, it is nonetheless embarrassing to see that the 11th US President to come to office since the 1959 Cuban Revolution has learned nothing from the experience of the previous 10 US Administrations in dealing with Cuba.

The "Trading With The Enemy" Act (its formal title is the "Export Administration Act") licenses issued by the US Treasury Department (for travel expenses in Cuba and purchase of goods outside the USA for Cuba) and the US Commerce Department (for sending US made products from the US or anywhere else To Cuba) are an embarrassment to all those who have to apply for them and most likely to those US officials who have to license these activities as opposed to being used to stop transfers of high technology items to actual enemies of the United States.

The UN vote sends a powerful message to those in Cuba that US policy hasn't changed and that Obama is hostage to people like N.J. Democratic Senator Robt. Menendez, the #2 Democrat in the US Senate and a Cuban-American hardliner, on any change for the better in our relationship. The USA's UN Amb. Susan Rice knows better and should have left the dirty work of defending the same old, same old to her subordinates.

[FloresdelaHoz]

For every $1,000 I send my cousins in Cuba I have to pay a 25% charge. I have a 71 year old aunt in Havana and a cousin in the heartland with autism that are in desperate need of Vitamins. I can't send them without violating Cuban law.

Everything should be on the table in negotiations with Cuba. We can provide Cuba US$20 billions over 3 years in investments. We can help them become independent of Venezuela for oil. We can help them with one million in annual tourism.

Menendez is far from a hardliner. He has successfully pushed for elimination of Bush era family remittances and visits restriction. Castro is a genius especially in negotiations. Change is coming but lets continue to take baby steps. We should encourage Cuba to allow small family own businesses.

[globalcitizenlinda]

Most newsoutlets in the US did not report what I read last week from the European press that last week President Obama SPECIFICALLY and asked the President of Spain to ask the Cuban leaders to publicly show some little bit of change in a few areas so that his administration can get additional flexibility to make more changes.

The report also said that the message from President Obama was delivered promptly to Cuba by the Foreign Minister of Spain.


While I do not support the embargo on Cuba, I believe that a more balanced article would have provided some insights about the more indrect ways that the Obama Administration is trying to reach out directly to Cuba.

In addition, anyone who pays close attention to politics in this country would expect that some small signals need to be coming from the Cuban side in order to encourage additional steps to what has already been done in these 9 months

[who38]

Maybe it is time for the US to be more direct in trying to reach out to Cuba. Using indirect methods to be direct can be confusing. Why should Cuba give small signals to encourage additional steps by the US? Cuba did not start this fight; the US did. They own the embargo and only they can make it stop.

As a US citizen, I am underwhelmed by my country's continuance of the embargo. It has not worked in the past, is not working now, and won't work in the future. If the Senator from New Jersey is the problem, he needs to wind up on the same trash heap as HoJo.

As you know many US citizens travel to Cuba via other countries and the government generally does not prosecute them. As the law is not longer being enforced, why does it exist? It has become a silly pretense to assuage a few Bautista relics who continue to focus on the past.

If you study history prior during the time of Bautista, you will understand why the Cubans were happy to support Castro.

[FloresdelaHoz]

Castro came from a wealthy family. When he came to power he had the support of the vast majority of the Cuban middle and upper middle class as well as the Oligarchy.

What shocked everyone was that mass executions of 1000s and jailing of 100,000 without due process. If that was not enough he destroyed the special economic relationship Cuba had with the US. this relationship resulting in Cubans having more cars, tvs, refrigeratiors per capita than any European country except UK and Sweden.

Today the vast majority of Cubans under the age of 40 want change.

[mandymarleyandme]

I think in the case of Cuba the United States has failed to use one of its most powerful weapons to destroy despotic regimes. We have failed to use the force of our culture. During the late 80s as I traveled through the Eastern bloc, I was constantly bombarded with requests for pieces of American Culture: music, blue jeans, t-shirts, movies, soap (sounds odd, but yes), American toilet paper, etc. The people wanted items that were basic goods in the states and luxury items in communist nations.
Access to our culture gave them access to our ideals. A weapon unused in Cuba.

[FloresdelaHoz]

Good point. That is our most powerful weapon.

[tkondaks]

...and that's the #1 reason the embargo should be lifted.

Castro LOVES the embargo; without it, his regime falls in 6-12 months.

And, as you say, it is our culture that will do it faster than anything.

I am virulently anti-communist and I recognize the embargo for what it is: an encouragement and enabling of the communist system in Cuba and the continued enslavement of 11 million people.

[deezus]

"The definition of insanity is to do something over and over again and expect a different result. We are not going to get a different result. It's not working."

The same exact thing can be said about this condemnation vote they keep having.

[who38]

Hear, hear.

[jezzaa]

well... unlike the United States thinks they have the right to, the World doesn't just intervene forcefully, this is the only way we can just have a diplomatic way of showing our overwhelming dissproval. Yes, I am not an American, I am an Australian, and i do currently live in Australia. And it's hardly good to hear an American saying "this condemnation vote THEY keep having", as if the US is not apart of this world.

[sdiaz]

In her speech, I thought Rice sounded harsh and combative; the Cuban delegate on the other hand was composed and smart

[texasteph12570]

why should we allow relations with an administration run by two murderers, who oppress the people and debase the nation. they have blood on their hands as do all the worlds communist regimes. that is stock and trade of communism, kill the dissent and murder the opposition.

obama something to agree upon.

[pghnappyrhino]

as if capitalist nations have a history of being all sunshine and light?

[texasteph12570]

i am positive that the ability you now enjoy to live, work, where, and speak what ever you please would not have been allowed in any of the communist regimes ever on this planet. for you to compare our free market system with the scourge of communism shows how utterly ignorant you are of history.

between the ussr, china, korea, vietnam, cuba, central and south america, all of the communists have murdered around 100 million people to institute their failed agenda. thats roughly 5 times the number that hitler killed and a very conservative estimate.

the usa has had issues in the past, but even with that this nation has the best record for defending the innocent and protecting liberty all over the world.

we have sent our sons, husbands, and fathers all over this globe trying to push democracy to anyone willing to let us in, and we have never entered a country that didnt either attack us first, present a credible threat, or was oppressing people. your comparison lacks reason and fact.

[holeybuybull]

It's inappropriate to bring W and Cheney into this argument.

[MajorKong]

Imagine if Castro hadn't had the embargo to blame all his failures on over the years.

[flatus]

Just imagine trying to run a country with all your talent heading for the higher paying exits.


Cheers!

[holeybuybull]

Imagine if the US had given Castro the support he requested from us after overthrowing the tyrant Batista. He came to us first, but was rebuffed by a government that preferred a corrupt puppet regime that kowtowed to wealthy corporate interests. Consequently, he sought aid from the only other "superpower" available, the USSR. We had an opportunity to help shape the destiny of Cuba in a positive manner, and we squandered it by supporting a corrupt, authoritarian regime run by Batista. That's pretty much our legacy in the western hemisphere.

[who38]

But Raygun did manage to fund Noreiga.

[pghnappyrhino]

probably wouldn't have NEEDED to blame the situation on anything else i there weren't an embargo.

[Crowhaul]

Why haven't the American people demanded the truth from their leaders? In clear and concise language, we should demand to be told the official reason for our this 45 year-long embargo.

If you were to ask ten people on the street exactly why we have had this embargo in place for 45 years, not a single one would be able to tell you in succinct terms why... Was it because - god forbid - they have a different political system than us? Did they threaten us? Do they still threaten us? The point here is that we need to start demanding the official reason why our government does what it does abroad....

[flatus]

How great is it when the UN can vote 187 to 3 on something and have it mean absolutely nothing? Who pays your rent, baby?

As far as I can tell there are three very powerful forces that will seek to keep the embargo in place:

1. The sugar, tobacco, and tourist lobbies.
2. The desire to maintain a "showcase" of the crappiness of communism (even if we are helping with that.)
3. The Cuban vote.


Cheers!

[texasteph12570]

by the way the showcase of crappines has been on display since the bolsheviks took over russia, mao took over china, and castro killed all of the cubans who didnt capitulate or flee. there is no freedom of anykind let alone speech or work. everybody, except the elites at the polit bureau, drives the same car, lives in the same type of house, eats mostly the same thing and does whatever obama tells them to do, for the good of the nation of course.

the showcase is lit and on display to anyone willing to look. the larger the government the smaller your life!

[jezzaa]

"How great is it when the UN can vote 187 to 3 on something and have it mean absolutely nothing? Who pays your rent, baby?"

well... it shows that the UN isn't influenced by money, and that the US isn't the centre of the world.

[WorkingClass]

Our cowardly politicians suck up to the Cuban Exiles in the quest for electoral votes. Since Cubans in Cuba don't vote in American elections they can starve and die and nobody (including the American people) cares.

[den1953]

It is time to restore trade with Cuba how long does this country need to hold a grudge and why not help the Cuban people the old cold war thing is over i'm sure there is a way to find common graound for talks and a solution!

[FloresdelaHoz]

We must continue taking baby steps towards restoring relations with Cuba. Now is the time to gradually open up tourism in exchange for baby steps from Cuba. For example, Castro can permit small family businesses to sell to American tourism. These business opportunities should not be limited to party members and their families.

Cuba is the Archilles Heel of the LatAm left. The LatAm Left's ultimate goal is Mexico in 2012. Cubans are well educated and peaceful. We must do all we can for there to be a peaceful transfer of power when the Castro brothers go. But baby steps. Castro has an IQ in the 160s and has out brainstormed us for 50 years. He is the Road Runner to our Wiley Coyote.

Also Cuba appears to have up to 20 billion barrel of offshore Oil. Houston, the high tech energy center of the world, is nearby. We can help Cubans enter the 21st century in so many ways.

[who38]

You betcha. Let's exploit their oil fields. The Cubans have lived for the past fifty years without US aid and intervention; why would they want our "help" now? Good neighbor policy? Give me a break. Cuba has waited fifty years and the Chinese will be there soon.

[FRELIMO]

Don't forget Palau!

[watchTVgetSTUPID]

C'mon folks. Its only been 45 years since the trade embargo began. Give it a chance to work. After committing this many years to the trade embargo we can not give up now. I bet in just another 45 years Cuba will be driven into economic submission and WallMart will rule the world like it rules America.

Cuba should not be allowed to buy any Televisions, no toys, no computer monitors, no consumer electronics, none of the cheap WallMart stuff tht makes America great. In another 45 years cheap WallMart stuff will take over all of America's economy. When that day comes and WallMart not being allowed to export anything from America to Cuba, the world will see the full economic might of America and will be astonished

[pghnappyrhino]

good one

[jezzaa]

.. and you think the United States would be the only trade partner of Cuba?? what about the 187 countries that voted for the resolution?

[FearlessFreep]

Rice's "Here we go again" reminds me of Ronald Reagan saying "There you go again!"

"The hostile language we have just heard from the Foreign Minister of Cuba seems straight out of the Cold War era..." That's because Washington is continuing a Cuba policy stuck in that time. When the US does the same thing and expects a different result, that's the definition of insanity.

[who38]

More change you can believe in.....what a hoot! Allowing unrestricted travel to Cuba is a simple and immediate change Obama could make that would be supported by the majority of people living outside of Miami. That this has not happened leads me to believe that Wall Street has not positioned itself firmly enough to gain immediate control of Cuban assets once the embargo is lifted.