Controversy over Italy’s decision to vote “no” at the UN to condemn the US sanctions on Cuba

Italy’s decision to vote at the UN Human Rights Council last week in Vienna against a resolution condemning unilateral embargoes is arousing controversy. At the center of the controversy, raised by exponents of the Italian left and the Five Stars, is the fact that among the countries affected by unilateral embargoes there is Cuba, which for years has been subjected to sanctions by the United States. The same Cuba which, Italian politicians recall, sent doctors last year to support the fight against Covid in Italy.

“I find it incredible that the Italian government, within the UN, voted against a resolution that condemned the impact on human rights of unilateral economic sanctions against some states, including Cuba. An incomprehensible choice”, writes the secretary of the Italian Left on Facebook. , Nicola Fratoianni. “It would be necessary to show some gratitude towards the country where doctors and nurses who helped save the lives of many Italian citizens were trained”, he says. Alessandro Di Battista.

The resolution was adopted in Geneva last week: among the countries that said no Italy, Great Britain, France and the Netherlands. “These measures are illegal and immoral. They have been starving people for more than 60 years,” said the Cuban foreign minister. Bruno Rodriguez. The resolution comes as part of an initiative with which China, Russia, North Korea, Iran and other countries are forming a UN alliance to reject the use or threat of unilateral sanctions: the group’s document was published two weeks ago by the Reuters agency.

The move by 16 countries and Palestinian representatives comes as President Joe Biden’s new administration in the United States increases its multilateral engagement, reversing former President Donald Trump’s favored one-sided approach that focused on an “America First” policy.