UN / CUBA US EMBARGO

The UN General Assembly voted by a large margin against the United States' economic and trade embargo against Cuba, first imposed in 1960. UNIFEED

• Video Length: 00:03:54
• Production Date: 30 October 2024
• Asset Language: English; Spanish
• Personal Subject: BRUNO EDUARDO RODRÍGUEZ PARRILLA
• Corporate Name: GENERAL ASSEMBLY
• Subject Topical: SANCTIONS; EMBARGO; ENERGY; HUMAN RIGHTS; DEMOCRACY
• Geographic Subject: CUBA; UNITED STATES
• MAMS Id: 3296281
• Parent Id: 3296281
• Alternate Title: unifeed241030c

Description

STORY: UN / CUBA US EMBARGO
TRT: 01:
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / SPANISH / NATS

DATELINE: 30 OCTOBER 2024, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

Shotlist

FILE - NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, flags outside United Nations Headquarters

30 OCTOBER 2024, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, General Assembly
3. Med shot, officials at the GA dais
4. Wide shot, Cuban delegation
5. Wide shot, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla walks up to rostrum
6. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cuba:
“The primary cause of the National Power System failure was the lack of fuel that affected power generation and caused instability, associated to the precarious conditions of our power plants, both of them being a direct consequence of the extreme economic warfare measures applied by the US government since 2019, designed in particular to prevent the supplies of fuel, spare parts and components required to guarantee the technical maintenance of our power plants and main grid, as well as obstruct investments and access to financing.”
7. Wide shot, Rodríguez Parrilla speaking
8. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cuba:
“The US government has continued to implement a maximum pressure policy, in violation of International Law, aimed at depriving Cuba from fuel supplies coming from third countries by resorting to sanctions and intimidation against manufacturers and suppliers, forwarders and insurers. Only in one year, the previous US government imposed sanctions on 53 vessels and 27 companies associated to shipments heading for Cuba.”
9. Wide shot, Rodríguez Parrilla speaking
10. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cuba:
“No other country in the world, not even those whose economies are far more robust than the Cuban economy, could cope with such a brutal, asymmetric, and long-standing aggression without a considerable cost for the living standards of its population. The United States is seeking to teach a lesson. With the economic blockade against Cuba, imperialism is warning the whole world that any nation daring to firmly defend its sovereignty and build its own future will pay a price for its rebelliousness.”
11. Wide shot, Rodríguez Parrilla walks away
12. Med shot, Cuban delegation applauding
13. Various shots vote
14. Zoom out, Cuban delegation applauding
15. Wide shot, GA rostrum
16. SOUNDBITE (English) Paul Folmsbee, Special Adviser for Western Hemisphere Affairs, United States:
“Sanctions are one element of our broader effort to advance democracy and promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in Cuba. We therefore oppose this resolution. That said we recognize the challenges. the Cuban people face. That is why US sanctions include exemptions and authorizations relating to exports of food, medicine, and other basic goods to Cuba.”
17. Zoom out, end of session

Storyline

The UN General Assembly today (30 Oct) voted by a large margin against the United States' economic and trade embargo against Cuba, first imposed in 1960.

A total of 187 States voted for the resolution put forward each year against the embargo, with the US and Israel voting against, and Ukraine and Moldova abstaining.

Speaking before the vote, Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla said the “primary cause” of the recent power failure that affected the country, “was the lack of fuel that affected power generation and caused instability, associated to the precarious conditions of our power plants, both of them being a direct consequence of the extreme economic warfare measures applied by the US government since 2019.”

The Cuban official said, “the US government has continued to implement a maximum pressure policy, in violation of International Law, aimed at depriving Cuba from fuel supplies coming from third countries by resorting to sanctions and intimidation against manufacturers and suppliers, forwarders and insurers. Only in one year, the previous US government imposed sanctions on 53 vessels and 27 companies associated to shipments heading for Cuba.”

Rodríguez Parrilla said “no other country in the world, not even those whose economies are far more robust than the Cuban economy, could cope with such a brutal, asymmetric, and long-standing aggression without a considerable cost for the living standards of its population. The United States is seeking to teach a lesson. With the economic blockade against Cuba, imperialism is warning the whole world that any nation daring to firmly defend its sovereignty and build its own future will pay a price for its rebelliousness.”

Speaking after the vote, US representative Paul Folmsbee said, “sanctions are one element of our broader effort to advance democracy and promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in Cuba. We therefore oppose this resolution. That said we recognize the challenges. the Cuban people face. That is why US sanctions include exemptions and authorizations relating to exports of food, medicine, and other basic goods to Cuba.”

The resolution’s full title is the “necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba.”