UN General Assembly to vote on ending US embargo against Cuba

The UN General Assembly opened its annual debate on the US embargo against Cuba on Tuesday, 27 October 2026. Member States will vote on Wednesday, 28 October, on a resolution calling for an end to the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States against Cuba. Each of the UN's 193 Member States has one vote.

This will be the 34th vote promoted by Cuba since 1992. The assembly has called for an end to the embargo, first imposed in 1960, on 33 previous occasions. Support grew markedly from the first vote in 1992, when 59 countries backed the resolution, three opposed it, 71 abstained and 46 did not vote. It peaked at 191 votes in favour in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

“The measures seek to isolate and economically suffocate the country.”

Cuba says US sanctions caused losses of 8.056 billion dollars between March 2025 and February 2026, the highest annual figure in its official records. According to Cuban figures, accumulated damage over more than six decades exceeds 178.700 billion dollars. Cuban authorities say the sanctions isolate and suffocate the country economically.

The United States uses the term embargo, a legal designation referring to the prohibition of trading with Cuba and restrictions on third-country operations linked to US goods, services or technology. Washington says the resolution is not binding on member states and will not force it to change its policy toward the Cuban government.

UN experts have called for an international response to the humanitarian situation on the island. The World Health Organization warned that energy shortages are affecting health. In May, senior UN officials reported that more than 100,000 surgical procedures had been postponed. Cuban authorities also cited delays to vaccination programmes and chronic patients unable to obtain stable supplies.

The debate takes place amid heightened tension between Cuba and the United States, marked by secondary sanctions and restrictions that Havana says affected the island's access to oil supplies. Cuban officials describe the situation as a multiple-cause crisis involving food shortages, power cuts and difficulties maintaining public services including water supply.