Washington has spent weeks trying to strong-arm the world into voting against Cuba’s annual resolution at the UN opposing the U.S. embargo. It didn’t work. See more details about the vote below.
Meanwhile, as Hurricane Melissa tore through the island, Belly of the Beast journalist Liz Oliva Fernández has been on the ground in Santiago de Cuba reporting on the storm’s impact and the resilience of those in its path.
In other news:
- Red state farmers want to trade with Cuba
- Cuban deported from U.S. to Eswatini goes on hunger strike
Hurricane Melissa Hits Cuba
Category 3 Hurricane Melissa made landfall in eastern Cuba in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The destruction is still being tallied but so far there are no reports of fatalities.
Belly of the Beast reporter Liz Oliva Fernández is on the ground in Santiago de Cuba covering the storm's impact.
Don’t miss any of Liz’s reports — follow us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X.
Read more on Hurricane Melissa below.
Defying U.S., the World Condemns the Embargo
In the face of ramped-up U.S. pressure, the overwhelming majority of countries voted for the 33rd time this Wednesday to condemn the U.S. embargo against Cuba at the United Nations.
165 nations voted in favor of the resolution opposing the embargo, while seven voted against. 12 abstained.
World leaders speak out
Representatives from around the world took to the General Assembly podium on Tuesday and Wednesday to support Cuba and denounce U.S. sanctions.
“The resolution must be implemented immediately and effectively,” said China’s Ambassador to the UN. “It is outrageous that the United States, instead of ending its sanctions against Cuba, has doubled down by putting Cuba on the list of state sponsors of terrorism.”
The embargo “remains a clear violation of the UN charter and international law,” Barbados’ Ambassador to the UN said in representation of the 14 members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). “For more than three decades, the General Assembly, guided by the charter, has spoken with clarity and consistency. This embargo must end.”
On behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, which encompasses 121 countries, Iraq’s delegate said that “the direct and indirect damage inflicted by the embargo against Cuba is enormous. It affects all sectors of the economy, including public health, nutrition, agriculture, energy systems, as well as trade, investment, tourism and banking.”
“Thanks to the efforts made by Cuba, many countries have developed their scientific and technical potential,” said Uganda’s representative on behalf of the G77 and China group of nations. “We appeal to the international community to step up in its effort calling for the elimination of the embargo, not just to improve Cuba's prospects, but also to help all members of the global community in their quest to fully realize their economic and social development.”
Watch our video of Latin American representatives speaking at the UN about U.S. policy toward Cuba.
U.S. tries to gaslight Cuba
Every year, nearly every country votes in favor of the UN resolution to condemn the embargo with only the U.S. and Israel consistently opposing it.
This year, the Trump administration intensified efforts to pressure nations to turn against Cuba.
In the run up to the vote, Cuba’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodríguez accused the Trump administration of a campaign to coerce other countries into opposing the UN resolution.
Rodríguez quoted a “threatening” letter sent by the U.S. “blackmailing” several heads of state.
The letter, he said, sends the message: “If you don’t do what we are asking you to do, you will be sanctioned.”
Trump has ratcheted up the U.S. government’s long-standing policy of waging economic war on Cuba to bring about regime change.
During his first term, Trump imposed a barrage of sanctions against Cuba, targeting international investment and the island’s main sources of foreign currency like remittances, tourism and its medical missions. Joe Biden maintained the most powerful measures, which have played a central role in the country’s deepening economic crisis.
Since taking office for a second time, Trump has doubled down on the Cold War-era policy toward Cuba.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has pressured countries into leaving Cuba’s international medical cooperation program, which brings in billions of dollars every year.
The Trump administration has also kept Cuba on its "State Sponsor of Terrorism" list, resurrected a black list of entities off limits to U.S. investment, and imposed a partial travel ban on Cuban nationals.
The Ukraine excuse
Earlier this month Reuters reported that the State Department had sent a cable to dozens of U.S. missions directing its diplomats to urge governments to oppose the resolution by claiming that Havana had sent 5,000 troops to fight with Russia in Ukraine. This number seems to stem from unconfirmed Ukrainian intelligence reports and has not been independently verified.
While Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has confirmed that there are Cubans fighting in the war, his government has “categorically rejected” any involvement.
Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Cuban government had taken steps to "neutralize recruitment" in Cuba and convicted 26 people of Ukraine-involved mercenarism since 2023, with sentences ranging from five to 14 years in prison.
Following the UN vote, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister said on X that his government had decided to close its embassy in Havana.
Mic check – Cuba calls out U.S. ambassador on General Assembly floor
During his intervention at the UN, U.S. Ambassador Michael Waltz called on the world to side with the U.S. in opposing the resolution and said he was going to “set the record straight" and "correct the fake news.” He then proceeded to deliver one false statement after another.
Waltz claimed that Cuba “supports terrorist organizations,” that it is “propping up” cartels that traffic “people, drugs and weapons” and “has undermined democracies” in the Western Hemisphere. There’s no credible evidence to substantiate any of these claims.
Waltz also denied there was a U.S. "blockade" (as the embargo is known in Cuba and other parts of the world) against Cuba. This is not unusual. U.S. officials and politicians have vacillated between asserting a blockade doesn't exist and justifying their hard-line policies that have cut Cuba off from the rest of the world.
The U.S. embargo’s stated purpose of blocking Cuba from having normal economic relations with the world is not only real, but codified into a vast set of laws and regulations.
During Waltz’s speech, Bruno Rodríguez raised a point of order, cutting him off mid-sentence.
“This is the UN General Assembly, not a Signal chat,” he said.
Watch a video of Waltz's speech and Rodríguez's intervention.
In the end, despite the Trump administration's escalation of rhetoric and pressure, it managed to sway only a handful more countries than usual.
The United States and Israel were joined by Ukraine, Argentina, Paraguay, Hungary and North Macedonia in voting against the resolution.
Red State Farmers Want to Trade with Cuba
Even as intensified U.S. sanctions have hurt relations between the two countries, farmers from red states are still trying to engage with Cuba.
“77% of all farmers supported President Trump. And we hope that this administration returns that support to the farmers,” P.J. Haynie, a rice farmer from Arkansas, told Belly of the Beast.
Haynie was in Havana last week for the annual U.S.-Cuba Agricultural Conference.
“Arkansas is the number one rice producing state in the U.S., and we would love to be able to ship that rice to Cuba," he said.
Watch our report on the conference.
More on Melissa’s Impact in Cuba
Hours after Hurricane Melissa hit eastern Cuba, President Miguel Díaz-Canel confirmed that the damage to infrastructure was significant.
Local media has reported (in Spanish) several floods in the Eastern provinces, as well as collapsed buildings and damage to the power and telephone grids.
But so far no deaths have been reported.
Cuba's Civil Defense evacuated hundreds of thousands of people before the hurricane's arrival, including those in flood-prone areas or in homes with structural weaknesses.
Cuba has been described by the United Nations as “a model in hurricane risk management." Cubans were 15 times less likely to die in a hurricane than somebody living in the United States, according to the Center for International Policy.
The evacuations occurred as Cuba endures its worst economic crisis in decades. In addition, U.S. sanctions on oil tankers undermine the ability to respond to disasters by worsening power outages and limiting the fuel available for evacuations.
Cuban Deported from U.S. to Eswatini on Hunger Strike
A 58-year-old Cuban man who has been held in southern Africa for three months without charge or access to legal counsel following his deportation from the United States has begun a hunger strike, according to his attorney.
In July, Roberto Mosquera del Peral was one of five men deported from the United States to Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). Alma David, Mosquera’s attorney, said his client had been convicted of attempted murder and other charges and had served his sentence prior to his deportation. His detention in Africa is illegal, David said.
"Mosquera’s hunger strike is a stark warning about the human cost of secret transfer arrangements and unlawful detention without due process,” said Amnesty International.
Since assuming office, Trump has deported numerous immigrants to third countries with which they have no connection. Eswatini is set to receive millions of dollars for taking in over 100 immigrants, according to Human Rights Watch.
Another ten men – including an unknown number of Cubans – were deported to Eswatini earlier this month. In addition, two Cubans were deported to South Sudan earlier this year.
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