USA must listen to the United Nations and lift economic embargo on C..


A UN vote to lift the US embargo on Cuba today sends, once again, a strong message to US President Barack Obama and Congress about the dire human rights impact of the economic embargo on ordinary Cubans, said Amnesty International.

"Claiming to be open to fostering a new kind of relation with the Cuban authorities on the one hand and maintaining an economic embargo that prevents ordinary Cubans from accessing medicines and other basic commodities on the other is a complete incongruity on the part of the USA and greatly
contributes to further undermine human rights in Cuba," said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International.

"The US Congress must listen to the loud message sent by the international community through the UN today and lift an embargo that has no place in today's world."

Earlier today, 191 countries voted in favor of the resolution calling on the USA to lift its economic embargo against Cuba. Only the USA and Israel voted against it.

This is the first UN vote regarding the US embargo against Cuba since the two countries restored diplomatic relations in December 2014.