UN General Assembly rebukes US blockade on Cuba as several allies abstain

The United Nations General Assembly has voted to condemn the long-standing United States economic embargo against Cuba, marking the 34th consecutive year the global body has approved such a resolution. However, diplomatic pressure from Washington led to a noticeable drop in support compared to previous sessions.

The final tally recorded 130 nations voting in favor of the resolution and 17 voting against it, while 25 countries opted to abstain. The outcome reflects a significant decline from the prior year's vote, when more than 160 member states backed the measure and only 12 chose to abstain.

Resolutions passed by the General Assembly do not carry legal force, but they are widely viewed as an important indicator of international sentiment on major geopolitical disputes. For over three decades, the assembly has overwhelmingly rejected the sanctions imposed by the US on the Caribbean island nation.

The latest vote highlighted shifts among traditional allies of Washington following American efforts to shape the proceedings. Several Western governments altered their typical stance, with nations including Germany, Italy and Latvia choosing to abstain from the vote for the first time in the 34-year history of the annual measure.

The shift demonstrates the impact of American lobbying, which prompted several countries to either oppose the measure outright or step aside from endorsing it, despite the broad international consensus that has historically stood against the embargo.