India

India Supports UN Resolution to End U.S. Embargo on Cuba

By PTI

India voted in favour of a United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for the termination of the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States on Cuba. The resolution was adopted on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, with 130 countries voting in favour, 17 against and 25 abstaining. Counsellor Soumya Nair, speaking on behalf of India’s Permanent Mission to the UN, said the General Assembly has repeatedly urged an end to the embargo and rejected laws and regulations with extraterritorial effects that undermine the sovereignty of other states and hinder their development. She added that India’s commitment to multilateralism is rooted in the belief that international challenges are best addressed through dialogue and diplomacy in accordance with the UN Charter. Nair highlighted a report by the UN Secretary‑General that the embargo has caused severe shortages in Cuba’s health system, with over 60% of essential medicines unavailable, and a decline of more than 50% in food production over the past five years. She also noted that restrictions on fuel exports have worsened the island’s energy crisis, disrupting essential services such as healthcare, education, water supplies, food distribution and transportation.

The U.S. embargo, which began after Fidel Castro overthrew a U.S.-backed government in 1959 and aligned Cuba with the Soviet Union, has been in place for more than six decades. Cuba attributes its economic hardships, fuel shortages, blackouts and poverty to these restrictions. The resolution, titled "Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba," reflects the General Assembly’s longstanding opposition to the U.S. measures, though such resolutions are not legally binding.

On Tuesday, October 27, 2026, tensions escalated in the UN General Assembly hall when U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz confronted Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla. Parrilla and other Cuban diplomats rose from their seats and approached the podium to confront Waltz, leading to a verbal clash. President of the General Assembly Khalilur Rahman had to suspend the session. Waltz later criticized the Cuban regime for its perceived hypocrisy, claiming that Cuban officials were enjoying luxury while the Cuban people suffered. He alleged that Cuban diplomats had assaulted an American diplomat and threatened consequences if such conduct continued. The incident was said to violate the Host Country Agreement, and the concerned diplomat was reportedly to be flown back to Havana.